The Ultimecia Affair
by Prodigy
Summary: A gritty, reimagined novelization of the Final Fantasy 8 story! Chapter XXVI: Nightfall posted June 28th, 2013
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I'm only going to say this once. I don't own Final Fantasy, or anything related. But I'm sure you already knew that. Squaresoft has that distinct honor.

* * *

**_Fithos_**

_"Awaken yourselves from sleep, my children. This is not a cradle."_

**_Luces_**

_"Awaken yourselves from sleep, fated children. Sleep does not advance."_

**_Vecos_**

_"Burning with the fires of truth. Sear with flame the darkness of the world."_

**_Vinosec_**

_"Burning with the fires of truth. Kindle to ash the evil of the spirit."_

* * *

_"I'll be here..."_

_**A Vast Ocean**_

_"Why...?" _

_**A **_**_Barren _****_Desert_**

_"I'll be 'waiting'...here..." _

_**A Field of Flowers**_

_"For what?"_

_**A Stroke of Lightning**_

_"I'll be waiting...for you...so..."_

**_A Single Feather_**

_"If you come here..." _

_**A Lion…..**_

_"You'll find me..."_

_**and**** an Angel…..**_

_"…I promise."_

* * *

_**Peace**; a simple luxury often taken for granted by the human race. _

_If such a thing were easily withheld in the world, there would be no need for armies or war. There would be no need for death and bloodshed, but alas, this is not the case. Peace is fought for, and usually carries a hefty price. Those who fight for it are not often hailed as heroes unless they are killed while doing so, and even then it takes convincing. People do not like to admit it is their selfishness which brings about war._

_People are stupid._

_Often is the goal of war overlooked. Many see it as a way of proving dominance instead of a last resort. War is blind; no hatred or love involved on the battlefield, just two sides fighting for what they believe in. There is never a right or a wrong side to be on in the face of war. Nothing can justify violence and taking of another life, over something as ridiculous as politics, which is usually the case in these modern days. _

_However, among the seemingly never ending religious and political proxy battles that ravaged the planet, another kind of war turned out to be the worst of them all, but this was no normal war by any means. Not to say any war can be classified as 'normal', but it was unique. The Sorceress War, an odd, but somewhat suitable name for the conflict. A supernatural display of unimaginable powers that hadn't been seen in over four thousand years had become a prime weapon of mass destruction. It was thought to be contained and laid dormant over the many centuries, but as time passed, the power grew to a point it could no longer remain suppressed._

_It had taken place about eighteen years prior, and was still attempted to be forgotten by those who lived it. There were countless stories and tales circling about everything that actually transpired, but only few knew the truth, and no one would discuss it. Call it ignorance, but it was more of a means to an end, and a way to bury the horrific past. Little did people know, it would soon catch up with them..._

* * *

The somber, ashen sky produced a light drizzle, which fell softly upon the soiled training ground due north of Balamb Garden. It was hidden in the depths of the Gaulg Mountain range, which was free from all outside distractions, and could allow one to focus primarily on one's training. The morning haze drifted below, just above the trees of the forest that surrounded the overhanging cliffs.

His heavy, black boots made prints in the wet dirt with every new step, as muddy clunks of soil came loose under his feet. From his side hung a medium-length, broad sword with a very distinctive design, as the base was shaped in the form of a revolver, which justified its name; _the gunblade_. This inimitable weapon was a mutant crossbreed of a gun and sword, and given its difficult learning, few men in the modern world had mastered it. Etched elegantly into the slanted bottom of the blade was a mythical lion, sprawled dragon-like wings gave it a divine presence on the weapon. The handle was identical to that of six-shot, cross-action magnum, but was a bit longer with finger grasps, and a chain that hung loosely with a silver lion head sculpted at the end.

Damp locks of the young man's almond brown hair hung loosely in his youthful face, giving him an almost rugged look. He sported a black leather jacket with white, fluffy fur trim around the collar, with loose fitting black leather pants. A sleeveless white undershirt peeked out from underneath, as well as a silver lion head with a cross at the neck of the lion, hanging from a silver chain which accentuated by the shallow light. His holster consisted of several brown, buckskin straps, which were fastened snuggly around his hips, and three single straps around his right lap for bullets and useful tools. Thin, black leather gloves topped off the young mans dark apparel, which seemed perfectly befitting of him.

As he reached the summit of the barren training grounds, he scanned the area carefully. The perimeter consisted of various sized boulders, which encased the area, making it almost impossible for outsiders to observe what took place. The training ground was a large ring-shaped area, which consisted of nothing more than cracked, dark pavement and dirt, with small weeds that sprouted up here and there. Signs of previous training sessions could be seen everywhere, from blackened, charred rocks from fire magic, and even locations where blood stained the ground and rocks. Normally, training didn't consist of much more than friendly sparring and magic casting, but as they say..._accidents happen_.

_"Where the hell is he? Should've figured it was a prank." _he snapped to himself in thought, waiting for another young man who he was supposed to meet earlier by the training center. The impatient brown haired young man was well aware of the other cadet's idiosyncrasies, almost too aware.

He gradually began turning, his eyes focused on the grim sky and the dark horizon. The ocean was moderately visible in the distance as black tides crashed into the reef, and the dark gray clouds hung overhead like an angry shroud of doom. It seemed like such a cold, desolate place to be at the time, which is probably why he found an awkward serenity to it. The thunder roared with a godlike blare, almost deafening in its moment. The lightning followed with a tremendous bolt that lit up the early morning sky. The luminescence suddenly silhouetted another solitary figure, standing amongst the elemental onslaught in the area known as Pinnacle Rock.

Upon seeing the other cadet he had been waiting for, the young, black clad figure crossed his arms and stared at his counterpart, waiting for any action. After concluding that the other man was merely taunting him, he walked towards the shadowy figure as the lightning struck again, revealing the smug smirk on the man's face. Through the rumbling overcast, he could hear a faint cackle under the grin.

"You keep me waiting. Shame, shame!" the mysterious figure remarked, scratching the tip of his blade on the wet mineral surface. The clouds chased each other overhead as if they were in battle, almost mimicking .

Upon hearing the self-righteous voice, the young man in black halted, staring bitterly at the cocky cadet with a heated glare. Agitation and hostility gleamed in his eyes as he spoke, "Did you call me up here to run your mouth?" the black clad figure spat back with his gloved hands clenched tightly in a fist, which at the moment ached to meet his adversaries jaw.

The man stood about five meters across from him, staring back with an obnoxious grin. "If you're that anxious to learn, I guess I'll just have to teach you." he replied, drawing a similar looking weapon from underneath his gray trench coat, and pointing it towards his opponent, "…shall we?" he challenged, luring the shorter figure towards him with his fingers. He too carried the gunblade, which had a design unique from his opponent. Opposed to the power of the Revolver's design, the black blade named after the legendary titan _Hyperion_ had a base handle shaped in the form of a standard .45 caliber pistol. The weapon itself was much sleeker and lighter than the Revolver, with a blade that arched sharply at the bottom, and narrowed to a sharp point at the tip.

For a brief moment, the young man in black just leered at the figure standing across from him, who stood a few inches taller, two inches over six foot, with a slightly larger physique. He wore a pristine, light grey trench coat with black lining, and dagger-like crimson red crosses emblazoning the upper arms. Underneath the trench coat was a navy blue, V-neck vest, with a platinum cross seamlessly decorating the front, and a silver choker with a dog tag around his neck. His blonde hair was matted back neatly, aside from a single strand which hung loosely and defiantly over his forehead. He, like his competitor, wore black pants, and a pair of black leather gloves.

The shorter, brown haired figure drew his peculiar weapon from its holster, and impaled the razor-sharp tip into the hard soil below. "Let's go. I don't have much time," he said calmly but firmly as he adjusted his gloves, always making sure the silver ring was around his finger. It gave him a sense of security, something he lacked a lot of in his life. The ring was the last thing he had to hold onto his long forgotten past, something he could rarely recall, even at his young age.

The taller, blonde haired boy smirked and spoke "Don't worry," he said as he positioned himself in a fighting stance, "I'll make it quick!" he said tempting him forward once again, holding his black blade out.

The brown haired figure reached for the handle of his gunblade, which was still embedded into the ground, and charged forward with a dangerously determined glare. The blonde figure began a charge as well, eyes locked onto the other with tenacity. The Revolver swung down with force as the blonde raised the Hyperion, blocking the strike with a smile on his face. He pulled away and whipped his blade around swiftly, only to be met by his opponent's silver blade.

"You've been practicing, haven't ya? Won't do ya much good though!" the blonde said as the two continued dueling.

The two had vastly differentiating combat styles. The brown haired figure had more of a controlled battle stance, one that was much more appropriate for using the gunblade. His feet and shoulders remained squared away with both gloved hands firmly around the handle, and the blade held upright so he could defend any impulsive attacks. The blonde was much more careless with the weapon, but seemed to handle it with supreme ease and grace. He would move about quickly, shifting arrogantly on his feet, holding the slender Hyperion with a single hand.

The blonde haired figure pushed off and thrust his blade inward once more, as the other dodged by spinning around, swinging down hard with his gunblade, knocking the black blade downward and holding it down with his own. As they came face to face, the two made eye contact. Fierce competitiveness and mutual deference hinted in the eyes of both of the combatants. The blonde smirked, staring deep into his opponents' tenacious blues, and winked wryly at him. Swiftly, he used his strength to lift the shorter figures blade off his own, and jumped backwards, quickly recomposing himself.

As the morning light slowly started to creep its way over the horizon, the two continued their training. The two blades clashed together; small sparks created by the friction between the scratching blades. Swing after swing, thrust after thrust, each parried and countered the others attack with great dexterity and ability, as if they knew the move the other was about to make before they even thought of it. The shorter figure drew his blade back, and charged with more force than before. His resolve could be seen in his tenacious blue eyes as he unleashed four strapping attacks on his opponent, who could do nothing but defend. The force of the aggressors' blows dropped the blonde to a knee.

Finally, the taller figure was able to knock the other mans gunblade away long enough to collect himself properly. He quickly took a fleeting swing towards his opponent, but missed as the shorter figure dived out of the way, and tightened his grip on the wet handle of the Revolver once more. The shorter figure spun around quickly and positioned for an attack. He swung his weapon behind him as he charged, holding his free arm out as he dashed forward.

The taller figure relaxed his battle stance, and inexplicably stood still, as if he were waiting for his opponent. "Come on!" he shouted as he raised his hand in the air slowly, tilting his head backwards as his aggressor sprinted at him.

As the shorter assailant continued his charge, he perceived what appeared to be a shimmer emanating from his opponents palm. He stopped in his tracks abruptly in mid-sprint, causing dust to fly out from under his feet as realization swept over him. His eyes widened, and his mouth opened as he ascertained the situation. A small, spiraling blaze of supernatural energy had spawned from the blonde figures hand, glaring brightly and staring him in the face. Before he was able to react, he was stuck in the chest by the flaming sphere. He felt the intense heat as he was struck in the chest, and was knocked to the ground from the force of the blow. Live ashes floated all around him with as he sat up, taking a deep breath. He looked down at his chest, his white undershirt charred with small holes burnt into it.

The taller figure sneered as he watched his challenger struggle to his feet. He slowly raised his gunblade high in the air, as his weakened adversary looked up drearily, shocked at what he seen.

_"What is he doing!?" _he thought desperately to himself, watching as the sharp blade glided down, streaking between his own two eyes. He fell backwards, leaning on the ground with one arm, dizzy and infuriated at the same time, as he watched his blood trickle to the ground, carried by the gentle wind. The fallen cadet grasped his gunblade tightly, and looked sadistically at his opponent; the fury in his eyes only shadowed by the adrenaline that just burst through his veins.

The blonde figure laughed, finding sick humor in the fact he had marred his rival. "Now, every time you look in the mirror, you'll remember the name Seifer Almasy!" he stated smugly towards his injured contender.

As the young man known as Seifer stood over him, the shorter figure struggled to a foot, wrapping his other hand around the Revolvers custom handle. He dragged the sharp blade across the hardened earth, swinging the blade upwards toward the blonde mans face. The sharp point of the blade tore the skin deep between his eyes, very close to where the attackers' abrasion was.

Seifer stepped backwards, clutching his face, "Son of a bitch!" he shrieked in pain, as his own blood dripped slowly down his face. He wiped some of his blood off with his gloved hand, staring at it in confusion. He looked at the blood stumbling back, but once again smiling at the sight of it.

The shorter figure strived on anger alone as he approached Seifer, grabbing the collar of his coat and pulling him closer with force. "You psychopath, you could've killed me!" he demanded, staring deep into his Seifer's eyes, letting the emotion in his own reap to Seifer's very soul.

Seifer withdrew his hand from his face and shoved his opponent away, "If I wanted you dead, you would be. Lesson one, expect the unexpected!" he responded with a hint of urgency.

"I swear…I'll…" the shorter figure muttered faintly, but was suddenly overcome with a numbing sensation. He fell to a knee, and raised his head. Through hazy eyes he could barely see Seifer walking towards him, hearing what sounded like a slow-motioned laughter coming from the figure. With a final attempt, he grasped onto Seifer's arm, trying to pull himself up, but immediately fell to the ground, out of consciousness.

Seifer shook his head, and looked over the precipice just as the sun peaked over. He closed his eyes as the dawning sun warmed his face, and looked back down at his fallen competitor. "Pathetic. Simply pathetic. Get up!" he demanded, nudging him with the side of his boot. When he didn't respond, Seifer took a deep breath, signifying his annoyance. He knelt down and grabbed his cataleptic opponent, roughly hoisting the smaller cadet on his broad shoulder.

"You scratch my beautiful face, and now I have to carry your sorry ass? You owe me!" he complained as he began to descend down the steep incline, and back to Balamb Garden.

_The rain stopped and the sun rose over the mountains, shining brightly. _

_The battlefield was now vacant. _

_All that was left, was an angelic…white…feather._

* * *

_While calm in appearance, the serenity that blankets the world is merely a curtain over the turmoil that threatens to surface... _

An in depth novelization of _FINAL FANTASY VIII_

**_The Ultimecia Affair_**

By

**Prodigy**

* * *

**Well, seeing as Peptuck is finished with his story, it's just about time to throw my hat back in with my rendition. I actually started writing this back in 2002, but being in the military has really had an effect on how far it's went. I've began posting it twice, so many of you may already be familiar with my story. If not, I hope you'll take a chance with it. It is going to be much different from the game, from Peptuck's version, and any FF8 novel you've read before. To those who have read this before, this is it. This is going to get finished, so don't worry this time. I am out of the military soon, so I will have a lot more time to work on this. There has been many changes since you first read it, but you'll know it's my work. Still looking for an editor to help with grammatical errors, so if you're interested, let me know. I don't know if mine will be on par with Pep's, but you can bet that I'll give it all I got, and that it will be a very different adventure…so don't think you'll be pretty much reading the same thing twice. I will do the courteous thing and follow in Peptuck's footsteps, and give shout outs to all those who review. So, I just want to congratulate Peptuck on an AMAZING job, and thank him for helping me stay with it, and ask all who read this to give it a chance, review and let me know what you think, and I won't let you down. authors that have inspired this story are Ashbear, Peter J Marcroft, Larathia, Kate Lorraine and, of course, Peptuck. You may see things in this story that may remind you of Peptuck's 'The Gunblade Saga', (other than the fact they are both set around the story of FF8) but it is merely an attribute to his supreme talent. Published authors that have inspired this story are Tom Clancy, R.A. Salvatore's Forgotten Realms series, Michael Crichton, Stephen King and J. R. R. Tolken.**

**I have also been influenced by many games, shows, movies and comics, but I will point out those references as the story goes on.**


	2. Chapter I: Rise and Shine

**Chapter I**

**_Rise and Shine_**

**Thursday, April 20th, 4268/Balamb Garden Infirmary**

**0644 hrs**

_"How are you feeling?"_

The simple, yet surprisingly complex question registered in his mind, writhing in the rigid cot as he drifted back to consciousness. The suns unkind rays found his opening eyes, and he closed them again quickly, greeted by a gamut of patterns and fanatical colors that spiraled before him. He again tried to open them, this time letting his eyes adapt to the light. The lime-shaded curtains fluttered above him as a soothing breeze weaved through the slightly opened window, looming with the scent of flowers and springtime. As his sight returned to him, he noticed Balamb Garden's chief medic, Dr. Regina Kadowaki, standing in front of him with a chart in her hands, waiting with an intolerant deportment for a response to her question.

He sat up, blinking as the blood rushed back to his head and a tingling sensation swept over him. He cautiously touched his forehead, running his gloved fingers over the bandage that was concealing the streaking wound. As he moved his hand, he glanced up at the doctor with a shaky look in his eyes.

_"Fucking Seifer..." _he thought to himself and grit his teeth, still dabbing at the gauze. Although he was not feeling great, he did not desire the extra attention he would certainly receive if he told her the truth.

"...Fine," he answered, even though he did still feel and look quite woozy.

She rolled her eyes as she meticulously examined the cadet, seeing in his eyes that he was still feeling the effects of the anesthesia. She knew that the young man didn't like to be pampered, and was stubborn about everything, including his health. She pulled a pen from her white lab coat, and began jotting her observations on the chart.

"Okay..." she replied with a goaded tone. Finishing her notes, she leaned over and observed him carefully, checking his pupils and retinas for dilation. She then stood upright and took a step back. "Looks like your eyes are focusing...you should be fine. Just say your name for me and you can be on your way."

He shot a look of pure disillusion at her, not in the mood for such juvenile tactics, but knew the good doctor wouldn't allow him to leave unless he complied with everything she asked of him. He leaned back onto pillow and looked beside him, where his silver ring and chain had been placed along with his gloves. He looked on both sides of the bed, searching for his gunblade, which he spotted standing securely in the corner, within his immediate vision. He took a deep breath, struggling with himself to fulfill the absurd request.

"…Squall Leonhart," he answered in an annoyed manner as the doctor completed her evaluation.

The somewhat generously proportioned woman with greying black hair clicked the pen, and placed it into her inside coat pocket, and glanced at Squall with a disapproving expression, "Why don't you take it easy in training? Next time you might not be so lucky!" she stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

Squall let his head drop back and hit the pillow again, "Tell that to Seifer."

"Oh hush...you two have been putting each other in the infirmary off an on for the last six years, and he didnt walk away unscathed either! You are just as responsible as he is!" Kadowaki scolded the young man who had no reaction to what she said since he had heard it all before.

Still, Dr. Kadowaki's head shook in displeasure at the mention of Seifer's name. He had formed an abysmal reputation with the Garden staff through the years and had become known as the Garden rebel. He was frequently counseled, and even though she knew Squall wasn't innocent, she also knew Seifer was usually the instigator.

"Seifer Almasy…that boy won't listen to anyone," she stated in a breathy and annoyed manner. Dr. Kadowaki had been on the staff at Garden for nearly ten years, and often gave good advice to the cadets, both young and old. Whether they decided to take it or not was up to them, and Squall was one who really didn't even want to hear opinions on how he handled his affairs.

Still, Dr Kadowaki felt she needed to intervene, "Have you ever thought about just _ignoring_ him?" she asked in a dubious tone.

_"Ignore Seifer...easier said than done..."_ he thought to himself. Through all his years at Garden, he was never able to completely ignore Seifer, mainly because Seifer wasn't fond of being ignored. Seifer was one that never relented when he wanted a reaction, and even though Squall was able to ignore Seifer's verbal abuse, it was Seifer's physical attacks that Squall regularly responded to.

"I can't just…run away," he answered curtly, knowing that wasn't the answer she was looking for.

With a displeased expression and a small grumble, she answered austerely "Tch, typical response...you wanna be cool? Well, don't get killed in the process! Even if you don't like each other, you are supposed to be on the same team!" she insisted with heated eyes and then looked back to her chart. "I've contacted Quistis...she'll be here momentarily to sign you out," she informed Squall that she contacted his instructor, gave him a final stern glance and proceeded to leave the room.

_"Just what I need..." _he thought to himself, almost able to recite her all too common lectures verbatim. He had known Quistis over six years, and ever since they were kids, she tried to guide him and give him sage advice he had no desire to hear. She wasn't even a year over him, but still felt the need to play big sister, even though he made it clear he didn't want to play the role of 'little brother'. Now, she was not only a SeeD, but an instructor...HIS instructor. Whenever something happened, she was the first one he answered to, so he was basically forced into having to talk to her regularly, even though he was always careful not to divulge more than he had to.

Squall relaxed his body, trying to disregard what the day ahead had in store for him. His day hadn't started off how he hoped, after receiving a memento from Seifer's gunblade, but he took a distinct pleasure in the fact that he returned the favor. As he laid there, he could feel the heated rays of the sun creeping down on him through the half-open blinds. He could hear light footsteps from the outer corridor beside him, figuring that it was just Dr. Kadowaki or one of the SeeD medics making their scheduled rounds. Much to his surprise, he heard a gentle voice speak out...

"Squall…so we meet again..." the breathy, feminine voice spoke, barely audible through the glass windowpane.

Squall momentarily lifted his arm just enough to give him a view of the adjoining corridor. He caught a glimpse of what looked to be young woman with rolled up brown hair and an odd, aqua colored dress walking down the hall. Before he could study the figure anymore, she disappeared behind the relentless glare on the glass.

Squall didn't bother giving it much thought, and again attempted to rest his weary eyes, closing them just as heard the mechanical door to the infirmary slide open. He opened one eye, discreetly glancing to see who it was, considering it might have been the mystery woman who woke him, but averted his attention after eying the familiar individual who had entered. It was a young woman, wearing a familiar, formal black uniform with gold trim and a few commemoration medals, glancing from room to room. She stood just under five and a half feet in height, with lustrous strawberry blonde hair tied up neatly in the back, with two separate tresses of hair curling down both sides of her face. She wore a pair of thin-framed glasses, which belied her young age. When she finally located Squall's room, she stopped and walked inside. Her eyes rolled back, finding humor in the common situation. She knew he was aware of her presence, and he knew she knew that.

She stood just inside the doorway to his room, waiting for Squall to acknowledge her. He moved his arm just enough to give him a glimpse of the young woman, who he knew was likely going to give him a long, boring speech about safety during training and staying away from Seifer. He could see the words resting on her lips, undoubtedly something he didn't want to hear.

"I know you see me..." Squall quickly sat up at the sound of Quistis' voice. He didn't even bother looking at her as she stood with her arms crossed, tapping her foot on the ground in her usual habitual manner. "Let's go, " she ordered him as she turned around and walked back to the front office to sign him out. He slid his legs to the side of the bed and then stood up, still feeling a bit disoriented. He fastened his belt and straps, grabbed his gunblade and holstered it in its sheath. He put his ring back on his finger, and put his custom made necklace around his neck. He took a moment to adjust his clothing, checked out with Kadowaki, and followed Quistis outside.

Upon stepping out into passageway, which overlooked the luxuriant courtyard, the humidity hit Squall like a brick. The infirmary was air conditioned and cool, and his body immediately felt the difference. Squall took a deep breath and followed Quistis down the small staircase. She slowed down a bit to let him catch up, but he speeded up and continued on past her. She looked over at him, the breeze whisking strands of his hair gently in the air, and then letting them fall back into place.

"So, do you wanna talk about it this time?" she questioned, hoping maybe that day was different. _It wasn't. _

Squall continued walking and glanced out the corner of his eye, well aware that Quistis was going to try to pry as much as she could out of him. "...No." He replied tediously.

"Not really?" she asked nearly the same time he did and bit back an obvious laugh, finding it amusing. She had a quirky sense of humor, and when it involved him in any way, it was beyond annoying to him.

"What's so funny?" he halted and asked. Quistis noticed that Squall was staring at her with his usual apathetic demeanor. She gathered herself the best she could, and attempted to regain her composure.

"Funny? No, no, it's not that. I just feel like I'm beginning to understand you a little better. That's all..." she explained perkily, but in all the years she had been at Balamb Garden, she couldn't figure him out and had not even known _anyone _who could comprehend him. Most guys his age liked to party, flirt with girls, and play games. Squall's idea of a good time was training, and on occasion, reading a fictional book. She admired his dedication for his craft at such an early age, but it wasn't entirely healthy in her opinion either.

Squall began to walk again, ahead of Quistis, hoping she would eventually take a hint and back off, but he knew better. Most people were well aware within five minutes of meeting him that he didn't like to be bothered, but Quistis was unwavering when it came to Squall.

"You don't know as much as you think," Squall snapped back, dragging his feet a bit languorously.

"Then tell me...tell me more about the secret life of Squall Leonhart!" Quistis stopped and asked wittily, and although Squall wanted to keep walking, his legs stopped to wait.

After a brief moment, Squall continued walking, past many cadets who were making their way to morning classes. He walked as Quistis followed close behind; waiting for an answer to a question she knew he'd never truly answer.

"Its none of your…" he began to answer before Quistis jumped in.

"Business?" she finished and chuckled, and Squall stopped again and just stared at her. She noticed he wasn't following anymore, and turned to him. "Seriously though, it's probably best you stay away from Seifer,." she said trying to look him in the eyes, which he strategically avoided. Making eye contact would only give her the impression he was interested in what she had to say. _He wasn't._

He hissed in a perturbed manner "You sound like a broken record, Quistis. I've heard this all before,"

"Well I guess you need to hear it again. If you two can't ever get along, just stay out of each others way!" she demanded insistingly, but still rather politely. Most instructors Squall knew would've chewed him out and probably given him an infraction, but Quistis was a lot more lenient and understanding...almost to a fault.

Squall decided he had heard enough and walked away from her, just off to the side as he leaned against the rail of the open stone column, and ran a hand through his. As he watched numerous cadets chatting and preparing for the day ahead, he could still sense Quistis' presence behind him. He knew she was smart enough to take the hint, but simply refused to, "Don't you have a class to teach?" he asked, obviously trying to get her to walk away.

As usual, Quistis turned his boorish comment into a joke "You don't want to walk me to class? I'd be the envy of all the girls! she asked with playful, sarcastic optimism, until she realized he was not going to humor her. "Fine, but class starts in ten minutes. Better not be late! Wouldn't want to have to give you an infraction," she again joked and winked at him as he turned his head. With that, she finally walked away, leaving Squall to his own thoughts...just how he liked it.

**Balamb Garden**, an elite military academy located on the independent island-nation of Balamb, free from the political views and government scandals that plagued most nations. Although the Republic of Galbadia had been trying for years to turn Balamb into a Galbadian territory, they never succeeded, mainly due to Balamb Garden. It's reputation exceeded itself, known around the world for their highly trained militants, known as SeeD's. SeeD's were the heart of Balamb Garden, praised primarily for their exclusive training with para-magic and Guardian Forces. SeeD's were dispatched all over the world to assist militaries, organizations and even civilians... basically anyone who was willing to pay for their services. They were tasked with anything from fighting alongside nations at war, to protecting celebrities and government officials, and usually worked in groups ranging from two to seven.

Two similar Gardens existed, each serving its own unique purpose. **Galbadia Garden** existed in the west, in the barren plains in the middle nowhere, seven hundred miles southeast of Galbadia's capital, _Deling City_. It's purpose was to train young men and women at an early age in a broad range of skills, from weapons to close quarter combat. Those who graduated could then serve as an officer or attend additional training to become Galbadian Vipers, which was the name of their special-forces unit. Since the Galabadian government heavily funded and supplied instructors to Galbadia Garden, they basically controlled its programs and operations.

The third was four thousand miles north on the arctic continent of Trabia. Trabia was bitterly cold most of the year, its usual inclement climate making it an abnormal location for a military training facility. Trabia Garden's main purpose was to train cadets in basic and some advanced skills they could acquire both in Galbadia or Balamb. Graduated Trabia Garden cadets had the option to either enlist in Trabia's small army or navy, or transfer to Balamb Garden to take part in the SeeD program, since it didn't have the necessary facilities to train SeeD's. Although each were important and supported each other via the Garden Alliance, Balamb was the most notorious for its SeeD program.

Each Garden did share similarities, though. Each Garden taught the fundamentals a civilian would learn in school. Cadets would learn subjects such as arithmetic, world history, and grammar, and have to average in the ninetieth percentile to keep their enrollment at Garden. They were held at much higher standards than regular people were, mainly due to the responsibility they were aiming to achieve. Cadets were expected to learn all the knowledge a civilian student would learn through college by the time they were fourteen, which was very overwhelming to many, but was necessary in order to teach all the other skills that would make them extraordinary, especially for SeeD.

Squall turned his head and glanced upon the numerous cadets that resided at Balamb Garden as they prepped for morning classes. Wooden benches and granite fountains tastefully festooned the crowded courtyard. It was hard for him to believe that he had been there for almost twelve years. He reminisced on the myriad of events he had been through all those years, and that it all lead up to that day; the field exam. He was more or less a given for SeeD, but no cadet could become a SeeD without first taking the field exam.._.the final test._...and one that was rumored to be impossible to truly train for, at least in the traditional sense. It was possible to be physically and fundamentally prepared, but it was the emotional and psychological aspects that failed many. The mental edge was integral, one that could withstand the possibility of pain and death. Many didn't have it, but Squall knew deep down that he did. He never truly had to face anything outside of a controlled environment, and even though he wouldn't know details of his mission until the briefing, he was well aware it was likely going to be anything _but_ controlled.

He escaped his thoughts, returning to reality and stared out into the courtyard. He watched as groups of friends discussed their weekend plans and couples in the courtyard hugged and kissed, and bid their farewells for the day. Looking around, Squall noticed that the one thing that eluded him was everywhere: **_companionship_**. Not that he wanted it, but he never understood it. It was everywhere; _under the budding cherry blossoms, by the sparkling water fountains, even right next to him_.

Everyone seemed to have a friend.

_"How can these people act like having friends is a good thing? They either betray you, or they leave you...what is the damn point?" _Squall thought coldly as he stood there motionless. He could barely recollect the last time he had an actual friend. Sure, a lot of people had tried to gain that distinction through the years, but he merely thought of all of them as associates; _not_ friends. What was even more puzzling to Squall is that he had no idea why he felt that way. He just felt a void; a melancholy sensation in the pit of his heart, which freed him from any real emotion on the matter.

_"Who cares…" _he snapped to himself, as he pushed off the stone rail of the colonnade, zipped up his jacket to hide his burnt undershirt, and continued to homeroom, where he knew even more anxiety undoubtedly rested.

After a quiet walk and elevator ride up to the second floor, Squall entered his homeroom, which was filled with the sound of amusement and banter. The sun seemed to pursue him everywhere he went, as it shined through the skylight above, directly into his eyes. He shook his head in divergence, and continued his way to the back of the spacious room, where his seat was conveniently located, away from Quistis' direct field of vision. As he walked along the glossy wooden floorboards, he heard Quistis' semi-stern classroom voice fill the air.

"Good morning class!" Squall turned his head a bit, and saw Quistis standing there with a bright smile on her face.

"Yo Squall, sit down man. Ms. Trepe has somethin' to say!" a wide-eyed, dark-skinned male fan of the gorgeous instructor told Squall.

He didn't even acknowledge the young man as he continued walking, _"…Fuck off...," _Squall spat back subconsciously as he walked to his seat. He sat down and began to stare ahead, watching as students conversed and finished up last minute assignments, and a few were even focused on him, likely due to the nagging bandage on his forehead. He touched it yet again, pondering whether to take it off, before he noticed a small yellow paper taped to his monitor.

_'You owe me Leonhart. I wont forget!'_ the paper read. Squall ripped it off his monitor and crumpled up the paper in his gloved hand and glanced across from him, where Seifer was sitting with a haughty grin on his face. Seifer always had a way of getting under Squall's skin. It was a special trait that only Seifer Almasy seemed to have...or at least the only person who regularly tried to piss him off. Squall leered at Seifer as he threw the paper in the receptacle next to him, and then focused back to the front of the classroom.

Quistis took a seat at her desk in front of a massive wall-monitor, which was primarily used for instruction and giving notes. As she opened the small red handbook she always carried with her, she raised her head back to the class. "Let's start with today's schedule. As I am sure you are all aware, today is a important day in many of your futures," Quistis stated, flipping hastily through her handbook, until finally stopping on the page she was searching for.

"The field exam for SeeD candidates ages sixteen to nineteen will begin later this afternoon. Those not participating and those who failed the written examination are to remain here in study hall for the remainder of the day to prepare for final examinations. Field exam participants will be excused, and have free time until the exam later today," she finished and closed her handbook. "Just be sure you are ready to go. If you feel unprepared, please let myself or a veteran SeeD know as soon as possible. There is no shame in admitting you aren't ready."

Squall yawned, not interested in Quistis' words, _"You've been telling us the same thing for the past week, you think we...I have nothing better to do than listen to you repeat yourself?" _he deliberated as he stared blankly ahead at the two cadets that sat in front of him, whispering to each other.

Quistis assessed the classroom, not saying a word for close to ten minutes. She often liked to observe the class, especially Squall, to find what parts of her teaching methods were effective, and which needed work. While Squall did find this to be professional, he found it to be incessantly annoying at the same time.

Quistis finally broke the silence "Okay...SeeD Field exam participants, you are excused for the rest of the day. Please ensure you are well rested and prepared for this evening," she suggested, and several student gathered their belongings and began to leave the classroom. Quistis noticed that Seifer was not moving, and had momentarily drifted off during her instruction.

"Oh, and Mr. Almasy…" she called out to the blonde cadet, who slowly raised his head and looked to the front, disinterested. He had obviously not given any real thought to anything Quistis had put out. "Once again, be careful when training. You won't get another warning. Understood?" Qusitis asserted with her eyes locked on his.

Seifer uncrossed his arms and leaned forward on his desk, and then looked at Squall, assuming it was him who informed Quistis of their little session earlier that morning. Squall just continued to stare forward, even though he could feel Seifer's persistent eyes on him, boring a hole through him. After Seifer realized Squall was ignoring him, he looked back at Quistis, who still had a questioning eye on him. He leaned forward and smacked the grey, wooden tabletop of his desk, pointed at her and nodded with a wink, before falling back into his slouching position.

Quistis chose not to retaliate on Seifer's patented brand of sarcasm, and concluded her lecture, "Field participants, I will see you later."

With that, the rest of the cadets excused themselves to take care of any business they needed to attend to. Seifer stood up quickly and walked by Squall, letting out a grunt in passing, which was not like Seifer at all. Usually, Seifer would not leave until he got a few good shots at Squall in, but Squall was definitely content with his counterpart's silence.

As Squall prepared to stand, he was called upon yet again, "And Squall, I need to talk to you before you leave," Quistis added as she walked over by the exit, and conversed with a group of students that traditionally hung around after class.

Squall rolled his eyes _"God damnit, Quistis..." _he thought to himself as he stood up and walked nonchalantly up to the front. Squall could see she was engaged in a conversation and got an idea he knew probably wouldn't work, _"Maybe I'll just sneak out..." _Squall thought again and headed towards the door., relatively certain whatever she had to say to him wasn't that important.

Quistis noticed Squall's dismal attempt to exit the classroom. "Squall, where are you going? I JUST told you I needed to talk to you!" Squall stopped his stride, and reluctantly made his way over to her. He didn't say a word; instead he just walked in front of her and waited for her to prattle on. Quistis knew he wasn't going to speak unless he had to, so she initiated the conversation.

"From what I gather, you haven't completed the prerequisite at the Fire Cavern yet, have you? You won't be able to take part in today's SeeD exam if you don't complete it. Why did you put this off so long?" she inquired, waiting for him to answer.

Squall cursed himself for not going sooner. He had an entire month to go, but with everything he had going on between the written exam and training, it slipped his mind. _"I was gonna go this morning, but Seifer…" _Squall stood there, battling with himself.

"Hm, do you have a good excuse?" she questioned.

Squall thought about it, realizing he really didn't. He had a reasonable defense for that morning, but he had plenty of time to get there, and no worthy excuse for not going sooner. "…Not really." he answered simply.

She looked at her watch, which read 0728. The Field Exam was not set to begin until 1700, so they had plenty of time. "Then let's get going. If you want to grab some breakfast or some items, hurry up. I'll meet you by the front gate at 0800," Quistis finished and exited the room, with three of her faithful enthusiasts following close behind.

Moments later, after ensuring Quistis and her gang of '_Trepies_' were well ahead of him, Squall exited the classroom and headed down the hallway towards the elevators. He walked at steady pace along the along the glass panel walls, that gave a grand scale view of the entire first floor of Balamb Garden. He had no interest in that though, as he had seen it innumerable times in his many years at Garden. Squall thought only of the field exam, which was an ambition of his ever since he had become eligible the year before. Unlike many, though, Squall chose to wait until he felt he was fully prepared before taking the field exam. Most cadets, who were either thrill-seekers or just wanted the nice paycheck that came along with the title of SeeD, chose to take the field exam as soon as they were eligible, not really taking an honest assessment of whether they were ready or not. Squall felt the extra year was needed, and the additional gunblade and magic training he had received in that time would be invaluable.

The elevator door opened and Squall stepped in onto the blue carpet, overwhelmed by the scent of flower potpourri that filled the elevator. He walked to the back and leaned against the wall, resting his head back against it. He had become obsessed with the possibility of him and Seifer being put on the same squad for the field exam. Seifer had already failed the test twice and Squall was worried that he would drag him down with him. Seifer never liked following orders; he was too proud of himself to be anyone's _lapdog_. Squall didn't care how Seifer acted, he just didn't want to be caught in the middle. He thought of the outcome that might occur later that day if Seifer pulled another '_Seifer_', and a fierce look erupted in his expression…

_"I'll kill him…"_ he thought hostily as the doors to the elevator opened, and the first floor sunlight gleamed in his face.

The first floor always seemed unusually bright during the day; the lush rolling patterns of Balamb Garden's interior seemed to spring to life as a result. Around the towering central structure where the elevators were located, was a shimmering fountain with marbleized fish statues streaming water from the mouths. Around the outer brim of the interior flowed a manmade tributary that encircled the entire length of Garden under the overlapping access strips that led to various other areas of Garden. Native plants such as _Balamb__ Ongdodders _and_ Sharp-leaf Jacondras, _which only sprung in few spots on Balamb's island coast, gracefully embellished the halls.

Squall was forced to walk through the halls of Balamb Garden at least five or six times a day, and it didn't help that a lot of cadets and SeeD's spent their free time walking around the halls, conversing with fellow colleagues. He stepped out of the elevator, and made a slow trot down the stairwell along the split gold railing in the center. He continued his trek and finally turned down the strip of hall that led into the cafeteria, which no doubt was packed at that time of day. He walked down the enclosed passageway, along the large windows of the segmented corridor, and he brushed up against another young female cadet walking by who blushed and scurried away. Most of the girls at Garden either were afraid of the introvert or had a crush on him, but he didn't really care either way.

"SEIFER, DRINK?" a strident, unyielding voice said just as Squall entered the cafeteria. He momentarily stopped after making eye contact with the almighty Seifer Almasy. Him and the other two cadets that stood artfully by the vending machine were part of the Disciplinary Committee, which used their influence primarily for their own benefit, instead of maintaining order in the Garden. Squall saw a short young lady that looked reasonably like a tomboy, with a certain casual elegance about her. She had short, silver-like hair that gleamed in the light, a blue overcoat that she seemed to wear no matter where she was, and snug black pants. Her most distinguished feature though, was the black eye patch that covered her right eye. Squall had no idea why she wore it, nor did he care.

Squall yet again made eye contact with the tall blonde cadet, as if he were drawn to them. Seifer smirked and shook his head in candid amusement as he looked back at the female cadet, saying something to her which Squall assumed was about him. Another tall, light brown-skinned, male cadet that stood next them jumped in "Can I drink Fuu? I'd like some soda, ya know..." said the deep voice with a strong Burmecian accent.

The female stared agitatedly at the large man "…IGNORE!" The man frowned a bit, but his eyes widened as he noticed Squall staring at them.

"Yo, it's Squall!" the cadet walked over, smiling and bouncing as if he were on cloud nine. The husky man stood at a towering 6'4. with a muscular physique and a clannish shoulder pad that decorated his right deltoid. He wore a buttoned up, dark-blue denim vest, and a stocky beaded, wampum necklace. He gave Squall a little tap on the shoulder and looked at the silver haired female cadet

"Oh yeah, Fujin's gonna treat, ya know. Want somethin'?" he whispered in playful fashion.

Squall looked over at the petite young cadet, who had a grimacing look on her face, "RAGE!" she exclaimed as she walked quickly over to the towering cadet, who overshadowed her by a good foot. The male cadet stopped laughing as she landed a swift right kick to his shin, sending him into a world of pain.

He hopped around the room, his hands covering the throbbing shin caused by the steel toed boot "Ahhhh…Ouhhhhh…Ahhhh!" he winced, as many cadets looked on amusingly, laughing at the floor show the tall cadet was putting on. Squall found it quite humorous for a such a buff man to be acting like a little girl, hopping about the cafeteria in pain. Seifer rolled his eyes, and focused diligently back on the onlooking Squall.

"So...still telling the teacher on me, huh Leonhart?" Seifer remarked cockily, and shook his head. "Some things never change."

"I ended up in the infirmary this morning. That's how she found out," Squall replied. He really didn't owe Seifer an explanation, but decided to amuse him.

"Where else could I take you? You passed out like a little bitch, I couldn't just leave you to die," Seifer informed him, looking over the food behind the counter.

"How considerate of you..." Squall replied, quite sarcastically.

"Don't flatter yourself Leonhart, I just didn't want the karma of your death on my conscience," the blonde spat back.

"Maybe next time, you won't fight dirty," Squall remarked, which seemed to anger Seifer something awful.

"Well, excuse me Mr. Fuckin' Boy Scout!" Seifer bursted and shot at Squall and put a finger in his face, "You'll learn in due time that you do what you need to do in battle. Let's just hope it doesn't cost you your fucking life!" he stated, deadly serious. Seifer proceeded to take a step back and rejoin his posse, letting Squall ponder what he just said.

Squall dismissed Seifer's comment as bravado and negligence, and continued his stride toward the food line, but was surprised as he watched a faceless person dart past him, slamming into the counter in a mad panic. It was a familiar young man with blonde hair and a muscular frame looking as if he just rolled out of bed, leaning on the sneeze guard, trying to catch his breath.

Squall stared on at the cadet with a not so surprised look on his face. _"Here we go again. Same thing day in, day out. Do you have any pancakes left?"_

The young man puffed and wheezed as he stood upright, "D-Do you have any…blueberry pancakes left?"

_"No, we've sold out. Sorry." _

The cafeteria lady frowned and smiled at the same time, regretfully having to break the news to the eager cadet once again. "You're a bit late, I'm afraid. We're all sold out."

The cadet bowed his head in discontent, scratching the back of his head, and placing his hands on his hips, "Damn it! It's hopeless if you don't get here early. Alright, I'll try again tomorrow, I guess," he said trotting away slowly, looking very disappointed. For some reason, blueberry pancakes and hot dogs were hot commodities at Balamb Garden, always gone within the first ten minutes.

Squall looked back at the Disciplinary Committee after losing sight of the cadet. Seifer seemed irritated and reached inside of his gray trench coat, and pulled out a small tablet. His apparel and demeanor gave the adolescent Seifer a mature impression, of course that didn't fool the people who knew him. Squall, for instance. Seifer leered down the hall, "Running in the halls! Let's go get that chicken-shit for violation of academy regulations!" he insisted as him and his two leeches took off down the hallway.

_"How did Seifer ever become part of the Disciplinary Committee?" _Squall thought, but he had already known the answer to that question. Seifer was the bad boy at Garden, and for some demented reason, many seemed to admire him. He had been popular with almost all of the younger cadets at Garden, and had numerous ties deep within the Garden staff. Squall just shook off any other thoughts he had in his head, and headed to the counter. He looked up at the cafeteria menu display on the ceiling.

He was hungry, but didnt want to eat too much before what promised to be a rough test at the Fire Cavern, so he got some scrambled eggs, Dollet orange juice, and walked leisurely with his plate toward the dining area of the cafeteria, being watchful not to run into anyone who might engage him in a long and tedious conversation. He stared up into the huge transom that was centered high above in the ceiling, which again allowed even more sunlight to peek through. Squall looked to his left, to his right, and everywhere in between, but could not find a single unoccupied table. As he searched the spacious galley thoroughly, he heard a voice calling him.

"Student No. 41269, Squall Leonhart?" a voice said, and Squall turned around. He seen a recognizable figure standing in front of him, all dressed up in the never changing large yellow hats that covered the whole head and face, the red robes, white shirt and black tie. It was none other than one of the all-mysterious Garden Faculty. Squall nodded after he leered at the character for a moment. "You're that problem child!"

Squall rolled his eyes after being wrongly labeled. _"That's the price you pay when you go anywhere near Seifer, I guess."_ He thought, knowing Seifer was primarily the reason he ever got in trouble.

"From what I gather, you haven't completed your prerequisite or the field exam! What are you still doing here?" the faculty member demanded. The Garden Faculty was quite bothersome, never turning their heads, even to the most negligible infractions. They scolded and often subtly insulted cadets as they pleased. He had remembered quite a few occurrences in the past in which cadets, and even SeeD's had exchanged harsh words with the faculty. He hadn't recalled anyone actually striking a faculty member, as such penalties would be severe.

Squall didn't bother responded, and instead walked away slowly, shaking his head in irritation. He couldnt even get a bite to eat without these fuckers breathing down his neck. He had gotten used to the strict regiments at Garden, but quite often, it was more annoying than helpful. Upon seeing Garden Faculty members scattered throughout the cafeteria, Squall decided to avoid any chances of being lectured again and dumped his food without eating, figuring he could do so when he got back. He exited the cafeteria, shooting the Garden Faculty member that scolded him an annoyed look before walking out.

The long day was about to begin.


	3. Chapter II: Highway to Hellfire

**Chapter II**

**_Highway to Hellfire_**

Making his way out the main entrance, Squall walked right past the usually talkative receptionist who chose to remain quiet rather than initiate conversation with him, after several failed attempts in the past. He walked through the emergency helipad, just outside of the main area of Garden carefully avoiding any and all social contact. He ventured down through the bedecked front portico, which was eloquently decorated with beautiful green plants and foliage. Exquisite waterfalls cascaded on both sides of the stairwell, flowing into the artificial spring.

After a five minute walk through the outer courtyards of Garden, he reached the copper-iron front gate that led off the Garden's premises He spotted his female escort next to the front guard shack, chatting with the SeeD's on duty. She had changed into a more casual , dark pink outfit, which consisted of slim fitting pants, a vest that zipped up in the front, a pink turtleneck and knee-length black boots. Attached to her black combat belt was her chain whip, which was a long flail with a sharp spear at the end, and a set of small daggers. Her attire was more appropriate for battle than her SeeD working uniform, and a trip to the Fire Cavern always meant getting dirty.

She looked at her watch as Squall stood a few feet behind her, not saying a word, just waiting for her to realize his presence. Turning around, she grinned, also checking to see if he had his weapon and items equipped.

The subtle scent of perfume encircled Squall as Quistis walked up to him, "So...I assume you're ready to go? The Fire Cavern can..."

"I'm ready," he cut her off, halting her attempt at tutoring him. Quistis had already been a SeeD for nearly three years, and while she wasn't very experienced in battle, she knew just about everything there was to know as far as tactical and technical aspects were concerned.

"Fine, you'll have to show me on the way there. It's a good hour hike Squall, I hope you can handle it." she joked, as Squall just shrugged and walked forward.

"You're just a barrel of fun, aren't you?" she responded to his humorless reaction.

"…Whatever. Lets go." he replied as he walked out the gateway where many fiends undeniably awaited. The vast area outside the gates gave way to a grand scale view of the magnificent ocean, billowing azure tides partially visible in the distance. Only one main road existed on the island and it connected between Garden and the Balamb City. Numerous dirt paths existed, but most led to trouble or nowhere at all. After about twenty minutes of walking, Squall and Quistis reached the entrance to the Alcaud Forest, which was just a shortcut most SeeD's and cadets took to get to the Fire Cavern, seeing as how walking around would take up twice the time.

"Alright, there is a path that leads through here and right to the entrance of the Fire Cavern. Do NOT take any needless risks Squall!" Quistis ordered.

Squall said nothing as he walked forward, disregarding Quistis' stern warning. He stood observantly at the clearing of the forest, the call of the wild coming from every direction. A small fly perched on his forehead, causing him to brush off his face. The humidity was causing the sweat to bead down, dripping off at his cheekbone onto the black leather of his jacket.

"This forest is off limits, isn't it? That cadet was killed here last year," Squall asked, stopping just before a huge broken limb the blocked the narrow path.

Quistis looked around, scanning the forest for fiends, but only spotting a few stray doe, "It's off limits to cadets, unless accompanied by a SeeD. That cadet was killed because he tried to do more than he was capable of. If I say retreat, I want you to follow through. Understood?" Quistis ordered, and Squall nodded.

"Understood," Squall agreed, and him and Quistis climbed carefully over the fallen branch.

They both walked quickly, plodding through the high weeds and over deep mud puddles and trenches that covered the trail. Crickets and chirping birds fluttered all around, almost making it hard to hear. When Squall realized he could hear only his footsteps, he paused, looking back at Quistis who was standing motionless a few meters back.

"Quistis, what's wrong?" he questioned walking back to her, but receiving no response. He analyzed the area before moving closer, squinting in confusion as he neared her. He noticed her eyes were shut, but her breathing remained normal. He snapped his fingers and called her name, but still got no reply.

_"Is she…sleeping?" _he thought, as he seen the shrubs in front of him shaking, followed by a rustling in the backdrop. Squall, with his gunblade ready, pivoted quickly to see a greenish wormlike creature, with beady eyes and a long, bulbous body slowly creeping towards him. He started with a jab, piercing the blade deep in the bloated center of the fiend, just below its thorax. As he raised his sword again for a second attack, a web like substance spurted at him, entangling him in it.

Squall wrestled with the viscid substance, trying to free himself, quickly realizing another creature that looked identical to the other approaching from his right side. He tried to move his arms to cast magic, but to no avail. With him in the restrained state and Quistis slumbering, they were both defenseless against the monster's attacks. One of the ugly worms knocked into Squall's leg, causing him to fall to a knee. He stood back up, stomping its jelly like stomach with his hard boot. He glanced at his side to see the other fiend knock Quistis over with its lengthy rear end.

"Aghhhh…" Quistis yelped as she hit the dirty ground, her tailbone hitting a hard rock.

Squall eyes shot open "Quistis, get up!" he yelled, still trying to shake loose, the monster preparing to attack him once again.

Quistis shook off the wooziness and looked up, noticing Squall's dire circumstance. She laid her hand on the ground next to her, summoning the help of her guardian force. From her hand, a trail of ice crept towards the larva-like beast until a jagged spear of ice shot from the ground, piercing the fiend like a skewer as it prepared to attack. She ran over to Squall to assist him in his confined state, "Are you alright?"

Squall managed to break free of the entanglement with Quistis' aid, "Fine." he answered, raising his gunblade and hacking down at the second fiend, cutting through the gummy flesh, this time the bullet hitting its target, with mangled organs spurting from the other side where the high-powered shell went through.

The monster was weak, but still remained aggressive and attacked forward, this time with a green mist that was inhaled by Quistis. She coughed and fell to the ground, reaching in her med-pack frantically, "Shoot…ehhhh…no more antidotes!" she coughed grossly.

Squall ran over to Quistis, blocking her from any further attacks, "Here, take this!" he said handing her one of his antidotes. Upon turning his head, he noticed the monster curling up in a huddle, and making an abnormal grunt. Suddenly, red waves were released, followed by a pulsating screech. Squall shook and fell to the ground, feeling his muscles shudder.

"…Damn…What is this thing anyway?" he yelled, ignoring the ringing in his ears.

"It is called a Caterchipiller. Here in Balamb they aren't very strong, but around the world they can be very deadly if not taken seriously," Quistis answered as she regained focus, then helped Squall to his feet. As they both readied themselves to attack, the ground began to slightly tremble.

"What is that?" Quists asked.

_Thump…Thump…Thump…GRAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!_

Squall and Quistis turned around to see a mammoth red beast quickly approaching. Squall's eyes widened at the mere sight of the huge creature he had seen before from a distance in the training center. He gritted his teeth, and tightened his grip on the hard hilt of Revolver. "I got this Quistis, you take care of the worm!" he said preparing to dash forth into foreseeable danger.

Quistis grabbed his elbow "T-Rexaur!" she said worriedly, eying Squall again, "Remember what I said? Sometimes it's better to run!" she insisted, tugging his jacket.

Squall looked back at the dinosaur-like monster that was only about fifty yards away, and making long strides toward them. Realizing she was right and that he likely stood no chance against the fiend, he hurdled past the Caterchipiller that stood in the path, Quistis closely behind him. They ran nonstop at full speed until they heard a deafening wail. Glancing back, they watched as the T-Rexaur used the Caterchipiller like a chew toy, severed chunks of the worm dropping disgustingly to the ground. They both continued running, until they were sure they were out of harms way.

Upon reaching a small crick about two hundred yards east, Quistis knelt down inhaling heavily, and sipped some spring water out of her cupped hand, "The entrance to the Fire Cavern is just beyond here, be sure you are prepared," she gasped out, still out of breath.

Squall knelt down, soaking his face with the semi-cold water, letting his mind wonder. Lately, he had been reflecting on all his years of training at Balamb Garden, and this was the climax. The harsh reality of it was, he had figured himself as a natural born killer, not hesitant of eliminating anything that stood between him and his objective. It was a basically a precept for being a SeeD; a sick slogan for a paid soldier. Either way, he did not relish the task he would likely have to partake in later that day. He glanced up, noticing Quistis reaching towards him.

He raised his hand to block her, "What are you doing?"

Quistis seemed a bit annoyed at his apprehension "Oh Squall, cut it out. You have some of the webbing around your collar," she informed him, reaching around and pulling the string off. She examined it briefly for a moment. "Hmm..." she said in wonderment, Squall confused as to what she was thinking. She quickly balled the webbing up, and held it in her palm. She closed her eyes, focusing.

Squall leaned against a big rock that was located right next to him, as he watched her do something he had only seen a few times before. As a cadet, he didn't often get a chance to observe other SeeD's and cadets special abilities. But as a SeeD, he knew he'd get plenty of chances, even though most of the time he'd be paying attention to not getting killed.

Squall observed as Quistis' body resonated with a pale blue glow, and the inside of her hand gleamed brightly. The radiance vanished as she opened her eyes, and they flickered blue momentarily. For the first time in awhile, Squall found himself intrigued. Quistis smiled and stood up "It worked!" she said as she hopped over the flowing crick, onto the dirt path "Let's go, we don't have much time." she said as Squall shook his head and obediently followed.

Squall had been observing some of Quistis' skills and was a bit curious. Usually, he fought any urge to make conversation, but decided to swallow his pride for once. "How did you do that back there...with the ice?"

Quistis paused, a bit surprised at Squall. "What is this? You 'starting' a conversation?" she questioned with a cocked eye.

Squall sighed at her ridicule, "Forget it."

Quistis sighed at Squall's lack of humor. "It is the same way in which you can learn new magic. The more you focus and think with your GF's, the more power and abilities you will discover. A strong, clairvoyant mind can unleash the all the power a Guardian Force has to offer. "

"Garden has so many restrictions and rules that apply when using guardian forces. They contradict themselves in the textbook in class. It tells us to use it whenever possible to learn its abilities, but then follows by instructing to use it sparingly."

"Yes, I believe you're right." she answered with a small chuckle, but then elaborated on the true meaning, "You'll get plenty of chances to find more Guardian Forces and use them when you're a SeeD. It didn't mean you never use it, just not unless you have to. vBelieve me though, those emergences are plenty as a SeeD," she finished, slowing down as Squall came to a halt.

"I thought Garden only allows us to carry one GF at a time?"

"You're stuck in that cadet mentality. There's a whole new set of rules and regulations that come along with being a SeeD," she explained, as she started to walk again, Squall catching up and walking alongside her. "You'll find many Guardian Forces along the way. Some may do as little as distract the enemy and some are even rumored to have the potential to destroy the universe. You need to report any GF's you find with Garden, though. There are GF's that can corrupt the mind."

Guardian Forces were the disembodied guardians of the High Sorcerer Hyne. They continued to serve as guardians after Hyne's death, supplying unique abilities to those who they served. They dwelled in the mind of their master, serving and protecting them however they could, from supplying superhuman strength and speed, to protecting them from different elements and attacks, and even offering its supreme presence to protect with their own unique powers.

Para-magic was an ability used in conjunction with Guardian Forces. Unlike magic, which only sorcerers, sorceresses and mages could use in its purest form, para-magic was simply the manipulation of energy and could be learned by anyone who had possession of a GF. Of course, it was not as simple as picking up and doing. It took three to four months of intense studying and training just to learn the most basic of para-magic skills. The magical energy used was attained a number of ways. Magical energy could be drawn from fiends or humans that had magical capabilities, energy fields that existed in numerous locations around the world, or it could be refined from different stones and treasures. A GF's magical capabilities ultimately determined how powerful of para-magic an individual was able to use, but it was up to the individual to learn particular types of magic.

After about ten more minutes of venturing through Balamb forest, they finally arrived at the entrance of the cavern. Many signs around the area heeded warnings such as…

_"WARNING!__ High risk area. Do not venture any further without being accompanied by SeeD or trained fighter. "_

Squall kicked some sand clumps from underneath his boot as he halted a few yards in front of the cavern entrance. _"Well, this is where it all starts."_

Quistis stepped in front of Squall who was scaling the huge Fire Cavern with his eyes, "Be patient. This may not help you now, but this will help you in the future. If you learned this already, I'm sorry, but its procedure."

_"Like always." _he said to himself sarcastically as Quistis continued.

"All GF's have skills they start to utilize as they become stronger. You can make them stronger by studying them whenever you can and drawing energy from enemies and energy fields. The more magical energy an enemy has, the more energy you can draw. For instance, I am totally protected from any ice elements and magical silence. My para-magic power is energized by my GF's power. Like I said, different GF's have different abilites. They can increase your speed, strength, dexterity…anything. And like I said, you can protect yourself from many different ailments and elements. You just need to study and get to know your GF." She explained almost out of breath.

Squall raised his head and blinked, realizing she had finished. "Sure, I'll 'get to know' it." he wryly responded.

"Fine, let's go then," she said as she slowly made her way to the entrance, with Squall just behind her.

The intense heat could be felt protruding from the entrance of the Fire Cavern, due to the lava that flowed throughout the infernal cave. Harsh roars could be heard from the monsters that inhabited the cave, waiting for the next poor soul who jaunted in looking for trouble. Squall stood a few feet in front of the robed faculty member that stood quietly by the entrance. He had heard tales from other SeeD's about their experiences to the Fire Cavern. Most cadets were tasked with collecting a lava crystal that was only located around the fiery pit where the Guardian Force, Ifrit, was located. There were never usually any casualties thanks to the help of the SeeD's that accompanied them, but a lot of cadet's came out empty handed and therefore were not allowed to participate in the field exam.

Some cadets got lucky, though. There were many instances in which Ifrit chose not to rise, and the cadets escaped easily. Although usually, when the cadets approached the pit, Ifrit would arise and scare the cadets with his mammoth form, and cadets would drop the stone, or run out frightened. Squall ignored all of the misgivings though, and headed into it the same way he headed into every other situation; _determined._

Squall leered ahead waiting somewhat impatiently for the slightly shorter Quistis to catch up. As she walked up beside him, she glanced over, seeing the resolve that Squall seemed to be born with. She squared away her shoulders and stood at attention, waiting for the robed figure to break the silence. After a moment of absolute quiet, one of the figures stepped forward, "Your objective is to obtain a lava stone from Ifrit's Pit. A SeeD member must support...are you ready?" the harsh voice asked calmly.

Squall hesitated to answer, and quickly raised his hand to salute, "Cadet Squall Leonhart...I'm ready."

Quistis then stepped forward and saluted, "I'm his support, SeeD Instructor Quistis Trepe." Upon finishing she dropped her salute, and waited.

The Garden Faculty member focused back on Squall who stood just in front of him, "You have fifteen minutes to get the stone and return it outside to us. Time will begin as soon as you enter the cavern," the faculty member informed, who darted in immediately with a sprint, much to the surprise of the faculty and Quistis, who sprinted ahead to catch up to her student.

Squall felt a rupture of heat blanket him as he made his way inside, but didn't let it deter him. He could feel ash and stone crushing under his heavy boots as he ran, and could hear Quistis breathing heavily in the searing heat of the cave. He slowed down and came to a halt as he waited for his SeeD companion to catch up. Quistis jogged up with an worn out look on her sweat-soaked face

"My job is to support you in battle and make sure you don't get killed. Everything else is up to you," she informed him, but he already knew how it worked.

Squall eyed the cavern, seeing many fiends on the trail ahead, "Fine." he replied as he continued on forth, before Quistis interrupted his pace.

"You know, the boys often choke on this test when I come with them. I guess my charm makes them nervous," Quistis remarked vainly with a smirk and wink.

Squall was beyond words, and chose to simply ignore her with a glare. _  
_

Quistis noticed Squall wasn't the least bit amused by her remarks, like always, "I'm just kidding! Trying to keep you relaxed, that's all," she said as he just closed his eyes in monotony. All of a sudden, Squall heard what sounded like a flame approaching him. Sure enough he turned his head to see a large sphere shaped monster, engulfed in scorching flames. He and Quistis ducked as it just barely missed them, and readied themselves for battle.

Quistis had already made an apparent observation of the enemy, "All these fiends are a fire elementals, so use ice-based attacks!" she told Squall as he focused his on his sword. He then cast forward a weak blizzard spell at the fire elemental, doing little damage. Quistis attacked with her whip, sending the enemy back a bit, but not really hurting it.

The fire shrouded enemy then flew towards Quistis, striking her in the chest causing her to fall to the harsh ground. Squall ran over to help her, be she dismissed him, "I can handle myself, focus on your objective!" she spoke and he nodded.

Squall sprinted toward the ugly creature and raised his sharp blade high in the air, cutting down through with a vigorous force, as the enemy combusted. Squall relaxed himself a bit prematurely, as he watched the blaze reemerge, this time twice as large.

"What the hell?" Squall questioned baffled, as he backed up, blade again in attack position.

Quistis ran to Squall's side and snapped her whip, "We need to kill it before it gets too big!" she informed him. She focused with Shiva, as icy energy flowed from her to the metal spike at the end of her flail. She whipped forth, the spike burying deep within the fire bomb as it darted forth, and a gust of flames once again exploded through the air, knocking Quistis to the ground. Once again though, the blazing fiend reassembled, this time five times it original size. Bombs were not the strongest enemies, but what made them so dangerous was their ability to resurrect and grow, and when they became large enough, they exploded with the force of five grenades.

Quistis was familiar with the fiend, and knew if they didn't destroy it soon, it would detonate. "Squall, we need to kill it, fast. We need to focus our blizzard spells on it, and hit it with everything we got!" she told him desperately.

Squall nodded and took his last remaining magic stone pieces out of his pocket and absorbed the magical energy the stones held. He then began to focus that energy on casting chilling blizzard spells that the fiend was susceptible to. Before he was able to cast, the bomb shot forth and spun around, as flames erupted around Squall, who dived through the flames, suffering minimal injuries.

As Squall came to, he again focused. He watched as Quistis cast forth a few powerful blizzara spells. Blizzara was a more powerful version of blizzard magic, and even though Squall had learned many secondary para-magic spells, Quezacotl was just not magically strong enough to support anything more than basic para-magic.

As the blizzara spells struck the fiend, it shrieked as freezing blasts covered its fiery exterior, and yet again, the fiend combusted, and just like previous times, had begun to put itself back together. Quistis backed up, knowing the explosion was forthcoming. Squall focused with Quezacotl, who enhanced his vision, enabling him to see the floating core that the flames were being drawn back to. He sprinted forth with enhanced speed and rapidly began to cast blizzard spells at the core. He managed to cast three blizzards which struck the orb directly, and before the flames could once again reach the core, Squall struck home with his blade, dicing through the core, with a timely pull of the trigger that put an end to the fiend once and for all.

"Good job! Let's keep moving," Quistis praised her student as he holstered his gunblade.

They continued along the designated path, setting course to Ifrit's Pit where his objective was located. They continued to fight their way through fire bombs and large quad-winged bats called Buels that stood in their path, but the fiends did not follow as they neared Ifrit's resting place. It was widely known that the monsters in the cavern didn't reside near the pit, because Ifrit was neither good, nor evil. He protected the cavern, and for the few people who had slain him before, a few mortals in the past. He destroyed anyone who disturbed him, be it monster or human.

Squall stopped at the straightaway as he seen a lava pit, almost three hundred feet in diameter, about thirty yards ahead, with no more monsters to slow down the trek. Quistis recognized the area, and looked at her watch, seeing that there was still eight and a half minutes remaining. She informed her student about how much time he had left, and he briefly nodded before continuing forward Squall and Quistis prudently approached Ifrit's Pit, trying not to wake the Guardian Force and get out unscathed. Quistis stopped and looked on solicitously; for the last ten meters he was on his own, as escorts were not allowed to go any further unless Ifrit arose. She glanced over at her sweat-drenched scholar and nodded.

"Go ahead...just be careful," she advised and took a step back.

Squall walked casually, deciding running was too risky and tiptoeing was too cautious. He strolled up to the crushed basalt that encircled the pit, seeing the small red stones scattered throughout the detritus like hot embers. He walked forward, staring into the pit, rather than reaching for the stone. Quistis was becoming jittery, but decided to remain quiet and observe, beyond her better judgment.

He leaned over looking in the pit, seeing the bubbling lava and spurts of molten rock that seeped off the sides. His instincts told him to get out as quickly as he could, but part of him yearned to see the mythical beast, the one he heard so much about. It would be almost a waste not to see it, but he decided he better just get out safely. He leaned down and grabbed one of the parched lava stones up in his gloved hand and walked back towards Quistis.

As she turned around and waited for him to catch up, a temblor that was becoming more intense by the second resonated through the cave. Quistis looked up and around, startled at what was happening. Squall then paused, feeling the grainy surface shaking beneath him. He looked back, seeing that the pit was boiling like a temped pot of water. Looking up, he watched as a stalactite fell from the roof of the cave just a few feet from where he stood. Squall knew then what was happening.

He looked at his watch, seeing that he had just under eight minutes left, and then glimpsed at the boiling crater, "You got the stone Squall, let's go!" Quistis ordered, waving him back.

The ground turbulently shook, with rocks and limestone grains falling from overhead, and was followed by a plangent roar. Squall and Quistis both shot back a step as an enormous ogre arose from the fiery hell. They covered their faces as the beast arose, with the intense heat of the magma shooting high into the air. Squall gazed at the beast, which stared unkindly back at him like a ferocious snarling dog. Its massive frame was astounding, standing close to fifteen feet tall, with charred, dark-brown skin, a face similar to that of a werewolf, and the body of a colossal titan.

Squall did not back down, nor was he frightened as he continued to stare down the Guardian Force. The fire elemental sported a mane of thick, red fur that covered the bottom of his face and connected to the fur on his head that also ran down the center of its back. It wore on each wrist, heavy, gold plated bracelets with ancient hieroglyphics inscribed on each. It had six curved, pearly black horns, two of which connected from the front of its forehead and extended and curved around its neck. Another two horns connected at the same place on the forehead the first set did, but were shorter, and instead curled downward around its cheekbones. The third set extended from its shoulder blades and protruded outwardly, curving down towards its middle back. Its ethereal yellow eyes burned with a demented fire as the beast growled furiously; smoke exiting his nostrils as it snorted.

Quistis ran up, pulling at Squall as he stared on, smitten with the mere sight of the fire god.

"Squall, what are you waiting for!?" she shouted frantically. As he started to turn around to run with her, he looked down at the stone. _Somehow it was too easy_. He almost felt like he didn't deserve to run away; as if he was stealing like a no good criminal. He knew Garden didn't care how he obtained the crystal, but _he_ did. He wanted to earn it, whether that meant passing or failing, and maybe even life or death.

Squall's blue eyes battled with Ifrit's golden ones, feeling bigger than the beast at least for the moment. He made up his mind; there would be no running. He dropped the stone at his side and stood still, staring up at the beast. Quistis was dumbfounded, and at the assumption Squall had lost his mind.

"Squall…what the hell are you doing!?" she questioned in distress, almost scared of how he might reply.

He walked closer to the beast, entranced with the battle he knew was about to take place. He knew he was in over his head, and would ultimately need Quistis assistance. He was too stubborn to just ask, and decided to let her make her own decision, knowing she wouldn't just stand by.

Without warning he dashed into a full on sprint, target well in sight. Ifrit did not budge at the sight of his attacker, appearing almost amused at the mortal's nonverbal challenge. As Squall came within a few feet of Ifrit, the beast knelt down, pulling his arm back to deliver a malicious backhand. Ifrit came around hard, missing completely as Squall dived over and returned to his feet, almost eye to eye with the force.

To his surprise he wasn't scared, or at least it did not register due to the amount of adrenaline pulsing through his blood. Without wasting any time, Squall slashed upwards with his blade, creating a deep gash in Ifrit's brow. The guardian force wallowed in pain as it jumped back, grasping its face. After a moment, Ifrit recovered, now ready to squash puny attacker. Roaring savagely, Ifrit raised his massive arms and held them there, as lava on both sides of him streamed upwards, standing bizarrely in its hot fluid form.

Quickly the streams flowed quickly towards Squall in midair. As the lava neared him he ducked and weaved, jumping and dodging as it pursued him. Just as he neared Ifrit once again and raised his blade, he felt as the hot lava grazed his shin, feeling as if his leather pants were melted to his leg.

He fell straight to the ground, staring at his bloodied and burnt leg, before noticing Ifrit's huge claw slamming down towards him. In the thresholds of pain, he rolled out of the way just in time, gathering enough sense to cast two blizzard spells at close distance, icy gusts slamming Ifrit's chest. The chilling spell was enough to knock the fire elemental back a bit, but not enough to do any real damage.

He then cast a cure spell on his leg, watching as the energy healed his skin most of the way, feeling the tightening sensation where the burn was. He rolled backward onto his feet, shockingly watching as Ifrit's mammoth hand grabbed him, and held him up. The guardian force's fingers felt like hot iron's wrapped around his body as it squeezed the life out of its victim.

With his gunblade on the ground below, and his energy too low to utilize much more magic, Squall managed to pull a small dagger from his lap strap, and began stabbing into the fingers of the beast. The beast snorted in hysteric rage and slammed Squall into the ground with devastating force. Squall could hear as bones cracked, and could taste the bilious blood rising from his throat. Quezacotl did little to protect Squall's frame from Ifrit's attack, but enough to save his life. Another devastating attack would surely kill him, as Quezacotl's power was nearly diminished.

Squall watched blurrily as Ifrit ascended into the air, pondering in the back of his mind why Quistis hadn't helped. His instructor, his support, and one of the few people he at least confided in a bit; _had she run away?_ No. She couldn't have, it wasn't like her. A s his focus shifted back to Ifrit, he saw the supernatural being lurking over him, waiting for the proper moment to deliver the final blow.

As he lied there dormant, Ifrit unleashed a mighty roar that resounded through the cave. Squall waited for imminent death to strike, but was surprised to feel a gust of cold wind. _Freezing cold_. He coughed a bit before tilting his head back, glancing to see what was happening behind him. Through the stifling muggy air, he could make out a feminine figure walking alongside him. "_Quistis_" he thought. _No, it wasn't_. With each step the figure took, sizzling icy blue prints were left in her tracks. No doubt, it was indeed Shiva, the ice maiden, and Quistis' trusty Guardian force. Her light blue skin radiated a bright energy, with her long blue hair braided back behind diamond-studded tiara.

For some strange reason, Squall could hear what sounded like two voices speaking in his mind. Hallucination or not, the voices were loud and clear.

_"Ifritan, it has been a long time,"_ the chilling female voice spoke.

_"INDEED. FIVE MILLENIA TO BE PRECISE," t_he loud snarling voice replied.

_"What are you doing to this mortal? Too weak to mettle with your own kind?"_

_"I HAVE NOT LEFT THIS __TEMPLE__ IN OVER THREE THOUSAND YEARS...THOSE WHO TRESPASS SHALL BE ANNIHILATED! AS FOR YOUR INSULT, I TAKE IT AS A CHALLENGE!"_

_"Take it how you will Ifritan. Your brothers have fell before me in the past, and you shall suffer the same fate."_

_"YOU FAIL TO REALIZE…YOU'RE IN MY HOUSE NOW!"_ the voice of what Squall perceived to be Ifrit's demanded, as he balled up a wad of red and bluish flames, and hurled it at Shiva. Shiva merely stuck a finger out, causing the ball of fire to solidify as she touched it, and fell to the ground, shattering into tiny frozen particles.

_"You'll have to do better than that Ifritan."_ Shiva challenged, closing her eyes. The artic wind that had never reached that part of the cave intensified, with bitter frost blanketing Ifrit. He fell to the ground, weakened from the cold. Shiva's eyes opened as she walked closer to Ifrit, the severe wintry gusts still neutralizing his fiery powers. _"You've become weak over the years. The Ifritan I knew would not give up so easily."_

Ifrit who was obviously in pain began to oddly laugh, struggling to stand up. "_AND YOU HAVE BECOME GULLIBLE!" _he stated, as he slammed the ground hard, with a pillar of hot lava springing out from under the ground where Shiva stood. The fiery geyser of lava hit the ceiling before returning to the ground. Ifrit limped over, looking for his victim, but to no avail. Shiva had vanished, and all that was left was a beaten Squall and an exhausted Quistis. With his opponents debilitated, Ifrit stumbled back to his pit to rejuvenate.

Squall struggled to knee, looking over to Quistis, who was lying face down on the dirty ground, breathing heavily. Utilizing Shiva had made her weak, as it did to all who used a GF with little energy. Quistis knew her magical energy was nearly gone, but did it to save Squall. He knew it, and could not allow her to die because of him. He fought his way over to her, collapsing as he kneeled beside her.

"Qu-Quistis? Are you…are you okay?" he wheezed; intense pain with every new breath.

Quistis lifted her head at the sound of her students' voice. "I'm fine. Just tired..." she too, struggled to get her footing, trying to help Squall as she stood up straight. "We need to get out of here while we have the chance!" She explained hurriedly, trying to pull the battered Squall along.

"N…no. Not yet!" he demanded, weakly.

"We only have about two minutes left. If we hurry, you can still make it!" she pleaded, trying to talk some sense into him. He was never one to question authority, and if he knew it wasn't possible, he would run, but this was not the case. He weakly stepped forward, seeing as Ifrit regenerated at his pit.

"Ifrit!" Squall yelled, knowing his only chance was to defeat Ifrit in his weakened state. Quistis shook her head and knelt down, not sure of why Squall was behaving so incongruously. He was always obstinate, but to her, this was downright crazy.

Ifrit emerged from his pit, only partially replenished, and still a bit enervated, "_IMPUDENT HUMAN!"_ he howled as he formed what looked to be a sweltering ball of magma with both his hands, and tossed it at Squall and Quistis. It struck the ground just before them and detonated on impact, sending both flying backwards after feeling the Guardian force's true power. Squall jerked with pain after landing on his already broken ribs and noticed Quistis was busy attending to herself, taking a potion before she became too weak. Squall pulled a potion out of his pocket, and prepared to down it before he remembered his training.

"Squall, what are you doing? Take the damn potion!" she commanded as he looked over at her. H e put the potion back in his pouch and struggled to his feet, staring dementedly at Ifrit. Quistis was baffled, "Squall, you need to cure yourself, I will hold Ifrit off," she said to him in a demanding voice. He raised his weapon as he searched deep down for a hidden energy...energy only a Guardian force coupled with excessive emotion could supply to a human.

Quistis whipped the beast, with the spear stabbing deep into Ifrit's upper bicep. He snarled as it did nothing but make him mad, and redirect the attention to her. As Ifrit approached Quistis, she backed up and looked back at Squall, "Squall, could you help me out here?" she pleaded in desperation as the beast drew closer. Ifrit raised his sharp claw, ready to take Quistis out with a giant swipe, but heard boots charging on the ground beside him.

Ifrit glanced over and saw a supposedly revitalized Squall charging at him with full force. Ifrit once again tried to swat his assailant away, but missed as Squall made a super charged leap at him. Squall made eye contact with the powerful enemy just before he unleashed a series of powerful slashes on Ifrit's midsection, cutting vital gashes it the beasts chest. Blow after blow, Squall still hacked with the same intensity, never seeming to tire. He landed squarely back on his feet after delivering the punishing attack.

Squall then prepared to deliver a finishing blow with Ifrit being in his weakened form, standing unstably with buckling knees. Squall sprinted forward in a wave of enhanced speed, jumping through the air onto Ifrit's back, and did not hesitate to impale the blade deep into Ifrit's neck. Ifrit wailed in pain as boiling-hot blood spurted from the wound, and was rocked even more as Squall pulled the trigger back, and a devastating round blew straight through Ifrit's body, bringing the guardian to its knees. Squall dislodged his blade and fell on his back in fatigue; weary from the damage he had taken at Ifrit's hands earlier.

For a moment there was only silence, as Quistis quickly cast a much needed cure spell on her impaired student. Ifrit struggled to get back on his feet, but failed in doing so, "_GRRRR!_" he snarled as he shook his head, aggravated at his apparent defeat. Squall backed up, pulling himself along on the ground with his frail arms. Ifrit gave Squall once last look and nodded, disappearing in a small sphere of red energy that then transformed into a dark ruby stone.

_"YOU ARE A STRONG ONE, MORTAL. AS DESCENDANT OF HYNE AND SON OF PYROS, I SHALL SERVE YOU, MASTER!" _Ifrit's voice spoke as his stone floated cryptically over to Squall. He grabbed the stone, which then glowed brightly and was absorbed into his mind. He could feel an unbelievable amount of energy enter him as his eyes glowed powerfully red. Ifrit was now part of him, and he could feel his presence in his mind.

From behind, he could sense Quistis' vigilant stare. He had just disobeyed an order to retreat and almost gotten both of them killed. Still, he was not one to apologize, and just waited for her to speak her mind.

"I don't even want to know what you were thinking, if you were at all!" he heard as he turned to see Quistis' vigilant stare.

"Can we go?" Squall asked, dismissing her inquiry.

Quistis grabbed him, staring at him with a vehement gaze, "LISTEN TO ME! You may not respect me or my authority, but you damn well better learn how to follow orders unless you want to end up like Seifer!" she demanded, seeing her in a state her rarely seen her in before. It wasn't only anger, it was concern as well. "For Hyne's sake, you could have been killed!"

"I wasn't, was I?" Squall questioned back, calmly. He understood her frustration, but he knew deep down he could defeat Ifrit. It may have been insanely narcissistic on his part, but there was a force deep inside him pulling him towards Ifrit.

"Thats not the point!" she scolded again and looked down at her watch, just before showing him the time, "You do realize your time is up?" she stated pointing at her watch.

"Defeating Ifrit warrants an automatic pass. You know that..." he told Quistis, who was aware, but considering no one had even stuck around to battle Ifrit in the past, didnt know exactly how the garden faculty would respond.

Quistis sighed, kicking the charcoaled rocks underneath her feet. "I know, but still..." After contemplating what to say next, she decided to save the lecture which he would undeniably disregard, and turn her complaints to compliments. "That was amazing though, I never seen anything like that."

Squall shuddered at the praise he was getting, "Yeah."

"Seriously, you are going to be a legend. '_The man who took down Ifrit'_"

_"Great."_ He thought sarcastically, although that was the last thing he wanted. He felt a keen sense of accomplishment, and half-wanted people to know what he did, but if that meant more attention, which it did, he didn't want it.

Quistis dusted herself off a bit as they walked off, "I GUESS you could say this was a success," she admitted, and Squall barely nodded in agreement.

Fishing a handkerchief from his pocket, he wiped the sweat off his brow "I'll consider it a 'success' when I become a SeeD," he replied.

"Well if it means anything, I think you're a shoe in," she commended him, much to his dismay. They took their time getting back, as both were still fatigued from the battle. It had been quiet and uneventful, both from Quistis and the fiends in the cave. The gleam of Ifrit's presence in Squall's eyes kept the beasts that lurked in the cave at a distance.

As the adrenaline wore off, Squall could feel the pain internally. The cure spell Quistis had cast had helped a bit, but wasn't enough to fully heal his injuries. He would have to suffer until he got back to Garden, and he knew even then, there was only so much magic and potions could do. He only had a few minor scars from his years at Garden, cuts that were too deep or were left unattended for too long. The scar Seifer bestowed upon him was a perfect example.

Upon exiting the cavern, they were stopped by the two Garden Faculty timekeepers, "Cadet Squall Leonhart, you have recorded a time of 18:23, after being given the time limit of fifteen minutes to complete the task of acquiring a lava stone. You have failed that task," one faculty member stated, almost sounding pleased with the result.

"So unless you defeated Ifrit, you have failed," the other stated, looking at Squall and shaking his head.

As they waited for Squall to bow his head, and walk away in shame, he closed his eyes, confusing the timekeepers. Through his clasped fingers, a red glow creped out. Squall held his hand out, dropping the ruby stone into the Garden faculty members' hand. For a moment he just held it, not knowing if the stone was authentic. After a few moments, it gleamed brightly, the spirit inside roaring loudly scaring the two figures.

"Oh my…but how?" the one asked in startled manner as both looked at Squall, beyond words. Squall took a deep, as well as painful breath, leering at them and turned to walk down the unsteady trail. He didn't care what they thought; he did what he had to do. He would receive the highest score for defeating Ifrit, even though no one was ever expected to. A small smile emerged on his face, turning his head to hide it from Quistis. He wanted to earn it, and he did. He forgot about the pain for just a moment, letting himself rejoice silently in the confines of his own mind.

"I think you shocked them," he heard, glancing over at Quistis who smiled. He gave a single nod and kept walking. "Well, lets get back so you can rest up a bit. You still got the field exam, remember?"

He quickly shot her a disdained look, _"How could I forget?"_ he thought as he looked in the distance, Balamb Garden's top structure visible barely over the trees of the forest ahead. He looked at his watch, seeing only a few hours remained before he would once again have to suit up and head into battle. Where the day would take him, he did not know, all he knew is he was already tired, and the day had just started.

"This is going to be a long day," he stated, as him and Quistis started on their trail back through the forest, and back to Balamb Garden.


	4. Chapter III: Moment of Truth or Consequ...

**Chapter III**

**_Moment of Truth or Consequence_**

The excursion back to Balamb Garden was much shorter than the initial trip to the Fire Cavern. There wasn't much time left before the field exam was to take place, and Squall wanted to get back as soon as possible to rest up and take care of some last minute business. One of Squall's biggest peeves was the Garden faculty and SeeD officials breathing down his neck, so he always ensured things were done properly and in a timely manner. One of the reasons he couldn't wait to be a SeeD was the fact that the title would enable him to make his own decisions, at least more often than he got to as a cadet, which was almost never.

Stepping out of the tenebrous forest, the architectural masterpiece that was Balamb Garden came into view. Even from that distance, the distinctively designed structure was celestial in scope. The external base consisted of several areas, including dorms for SeeD's and cadets, several posts for snipers and watch standers, a tunnel that led from the main road to the parking lot and several recreational areas for its residents. The main structure was what set it aside from the rest. It was a quadruple tiered edifice, the base foundation supporting the unusual architecture. It shaped up in a pyramid-like form, each elliptical level smaller and sitting atop the floor below.

The exterior was painted in a white lacquer, flourishing with a few colorful, artistic designs. From the front, the huge black tinted skylight that lit up the first floor corridors was visible. A towering spire-shaped archetype loomed behind the skylight, and reached high into the air, just below Garden's most distinguished characteristic. The '_Halo_' as it was referred to, loomed overhead majestically, seemingly defying gravity as it spun mysteriously on its own. The inner ring was golden; sprawling out in steel rail like a royal crown, needle protruding outwardly with four golden, wide propellers stretched out like angelic wings. No one really knew why it was there or what its function was, but all were spellbound by its presence.

After a lengthy walk and a few battles, the gates of Balamb Garden were before them. S quall crossed the road to the sidewalk just by the main gate, standing patiently by. His clothes were filthy, burned and frayed from the battle that had just taken place with Ifrit, and the Headmaster was going to be astounded to learn that the Guardian Force was finally a possession of Balamb Garden.

"Well done! I have to go report your progress to the Headmaster. Do not be surprised if he wishes to speak to you about your accomplishment." Quistis complimented as she walked next to him, Squall choosing not to respond at her presumption.

"You can go rest up for a bit. Meet in the front hall no later than 1530, understood? Dismissed!" she stated and walked through the front gate, leaving Squall to himself.

Squall looked around, taking in a deep breath of the salty ocean scent that loomed in the air. A sudden rush of nostalgia blindsided him, taking him off guard off his naturally insensitive feelings. He was dumbstruck as to what had exactly sparked these sudden bursts of scattered memories, which he could not clearly distinguish.

_"What is this?" _he wondered to himself, careful not to delve too deep into his mind, as that only brought forth more anxiety. Instead of trying to analyze, he chose to disregard the ambiguous flashbacks, and prepare for the day ahead.

He walked past the fountain near the front gates and continued up past the courtyard until he arrived at the main entrance, reaching in his coat pocket to pull out his Garden ID. The receptionist looked at the card and back at Squall, shooting him an imperceptible gaze.

"Whoa, what happened to you? You look like you just fell down a cliff or something man!" the balding man stated.

Squall shoved the card back in his pocket and gave the man a mirthless gaze. The receptionist quickly waved him through, allowing him to enter. Squall shot up past the turnstiles and through the hallway, making a much-needed trip to the infirmary. If there was one person in Garden who had a soft spot for Squall, it was Dr. Kadowaki. No one knew why either, because he gave her the same cold shoulder he gave everyone else.

He walked into the infirmary, the hygienic scent of disinfectants clearly noticeable as he walked further in. "Now if you're headache doesn't go away before class tomorrow, please come by," he heard Kadowaki say to another young cadet.

"Thank you, doctor," the cadet answered as he passed Squall and exited the infirmary.

Dr. Kadowaki walked to the front office, noticing Squall sitting in a chair, devoid of any real emotion. "Squall, what happened this time?" she asked concerned after eyeing his frail form.

"Just returned from the Fire Cavern. I think I broke my ribs," he replied, slowly slipping off his jacket and taking off his burnt undershirt. He leaned over on the bed, knowing the procedure all too well. He had his fair share of visits in the past, from grats in the training center to confrontations with Seifer.

The doctor walked up, tracing her finger along his ribcage. A darting pain shot through his ribs as she pushed on his fragile bones, but did not make a sound as she examined his injury. She examined his abdominal region for any splenic or hepatic damage, mainly to prevent any long-term injury.

"Yes, both of your ribs are broken. Two injuries in one day, and its still early!" she commented and walked outside to her medical locker, and retrieved a velcro rib belt and some medicine. She assisted Squall putting it on, and handed him the prescription. "Take this two hours prior to the Field Exam. This will alleviate the soreness and help the bones heal faster. It won't make you drowsy, so don't worry about that."

Squall put his jacket back on over the rib-protector and tossed his ruined undershirt in the garbage,"I need some potions," he told her, struggling to adjust the jacket.

She nodded and grabbed a few from the cabinet, handing them to the introverted cadet. "Potions will only do so much. You need to be careful," she softly stated, obviously concerned with his well-being. Squall snatched the potions and pocketed them, exiting the infirmary without so much as a word. Upon reaching his dorm room, he slipped his dirty leather jacket off, and walked into his bedroom. Squall had the whole dorm to himself, mainly because no one wanted to be roomed up with the loner, and Squall didn't mind it at all.

After taking a quick shower, Squall walked over to his bed, sitting down slowly, trying to get a brief rest before the parlous venture that lied ahead. He rested his eyes, slipping in and out sleep. He could not fully relax, his mind, nor his body allowing him to, even with the help of the drugs. In the sporadic periods that he was able to rest, indecisive visions shuffled through his mind. Sleep had always seemed more of a chore than anything, an annoying interruption in daily life. It didn't help that his dreams were always tainted by indistinguishable images, ones that were more confusing and upsetting than pleasant.

After a few hours of rest, his eyes opened to the sound of his alarm. _"__15: 30__…thirty minutes." _he thought as he glanced over at the digital red numbers on his clock. He rolled out of bed lethargically, and walked to his bathroom, splashing some freezing cold water in his face. He looked in the mirror with beads of water dripping from his face, his eyes fixed on the newly acquired scar he had received that morning. Seifer had received an exact reprisal, although the thought of having anything in common with Seifer made him nauseous.

He reached in his closet, pulling out a neatly groomed cadet uniform, which was made of the same navy blue polyester as the female uniforms, and consisted of an extended collar jacket that zippered in the front, with double breasted pockets, and decorative white shoulder boards. The pants were loose fitting for mobility, and were fastened with a black leather belt. It was not an ideal uniform for battle, but they were not involved in much field combat as cadets, so it was adequate.

After dressing, he equipped his black holster belt, which was the only combat belt authorized on the cadet uniform. He left his black gloves on his nightstand, feeling a bit naked without them, but was sure to wear his silver ring, never once leaving without it on his finger. He left his jacket untucked and unzipped, showing his fresh white undershirt and silver necklace. He quickly reloaded the ammunition and cleaned the gunblade's chambers, and holstered it. Finally, he equipped an eight-inch combat knife to his lapstrap, and left the room.

After a quick trip to the cafeteria and scarfing down as much protein and carbohydrates as he could in the ten minutes he had to spare, he arrived to see many other cadets anxiously awaiting the Headmaster's arrival. He glanced over by the receptacle, finding a cozy little spot where he hoped no one would bother him, and settled there until further instruction.

While Squall waited, he could hear two girls who stood across from him talking about the field exam, "My boyfriend told me everything is monitored. I hear they even listen in on your conversations during the SeeD exam," she said, surprisingly. Squall hadn't heard that before, but he wasn't surprised. He knew that the missions SeeD's partook in were very dangerous, and had no room for individuals who didn't follow orders or take the missions seriously.

After about five or so minutes of peace and quiet, Quistis and two Garden faculty members arrived. Squall looked up, watching as Quistis waved him over, "Squall, over here!" she called, as he reluctantly walked over to her, near the main directory. "I'll be announcing the squad assignments for the exam soon," She informed him, reading the squad chart that had been randomly prepared, "Let's see, you'll be with..." Quistis started as she continued scanning the clipboard she was carrying. She paused for a moment, and slowly looked back up at Squall with a discomfited expression on her face.

_"Great, I got teamed with Seifer!" _he thought as he waited for Quistis to reveal his team.

"Zell Dincht…Quite a lively fellow," she finished, trying to sound optimistic.

Squall buried his face in his hand at the names mention. He knew the name well, and although he didn't necessarily dislike the young man, he was the last person Squall wanted to be paired with. _Well…second to last_. "Lively? He's just…loud. Can't I switch members?" Squall asked. He knew how Zell was, and didn't want to have to depend on him if worse came to worse.

"I'm afraid that's not possible," Quistis answered as she looked around the lobby. "Mr. Dincht...over here!" she said as Squall looked down the hall.

In the distance, he watched as the energetic cadet performed a series of punches and roundhouse kicks. Zell was not very tall, standing at only 5'5, and didn't look like much at first sight. He had relatively short blonde hair, which spiked up wildly in the front, with a tribal vine tattoo adorning the left side of his face. He was however, built, cut and incredibly agile, and probably one of the best free hand fighters at Balamb Garden. With his uniform, he wore his combat gloves, which were black, with a four-studded metal knuckle plate. Upon hearing Quistis, Zell performed two perfect backflips, landing directly in front of Squall. Zell turned his head, and looked at Squall, giving him a wide smile and a thumbs-up.

Squall shook his head, _"Show off..."_ he thought to himself.

Zell turned around, bouncing lightly, seeing Quistis standing beside Squall who had his arms crossed. Zell seemed pleasantly shocked as he realized the circumstances, "Whoa, I'm with you, Leonhart?" he asked. Zell started to dust his gloved hand off on his pants, and extended a friendly hand to Squall, who just looked at Zell's hand and then back at Zell. After a few moments, Zell realized that Squall wasn't going to accept his affable gesture. Zell grumbled and retracted his hand, somewhat offended.

"You don't get along with Seifer, do you? I heard he whooped your ass pretty bad this morning. Ha, looks like its true." Zell said in a humorous tone, squinting his eyes as he looked at Squall's scar; a scar that would never go away, and wasn't even there the day before…_a scar that Seifer gave him. _Seifer probably perceived it as a permanent mark of victory over Squall.

Squall saw it as it was: carelessness and vanity.

"We weren't fighting, we were training," Squall corrected displeasingly.

"I bet you he doesn't think so!" Zell said as he leaned in closer, "Look, Seifer's an asshole, all you have to do is ignore him," he spoke softly as fiddled his hands in the air.

Squall became irritated at Zell's blunt remarks, "Mind your business..."

"It's none of your business!" Quistis said at almost exactly the same time Squall did. Of course, Squall wasn't happy about Quistis proving her point that she was learning more about him.

"Ahem...Excuse me, I hate to tell you, but Seifer...He's your squad leader," she said with a slight delay. As if it wasnt stupid enough to give Seifer more authority he would undoubtedly abuse, it was probably an even worse decision to pair the two up after their distasteful past. However, it was pointless to argue, and could not be changed. But Squall knew that with Seifer as the squad leader, something was bound to go wrong. He had already failed two previous field exams due to his recalcitrant actions, and Squall didn't want Seifer's pride to drag him down too.

"SAY WHAT?" Zell yelped as his head jerked backwards.

"Like I said, it can't be changed," Quistis stated and then looked back at Squall, who still looked quite annoyed, and then scanned the lobby area. "Seifer Almasy," she called out, "Front and center!" Just then Seifer, along with his two ardently devoted lackeys, stepped out from behind the directory, and walked up to where Squall, Zell and Quistis were standing.

_"Fujin and Raijin tagging along as usual...Guess that makes up the whole disciplinary committee." _Squall thought as Seifer walked up to the group.

The narcissistic Seifer eyed Squall and smirked, before noticing Quistis inspecting him. "Seifer, you're supposed to be wearing your cadet uniform. You know points will be deducted from your score, right?" she stated, already seeing traces of Seifer's constant insubordination.

Seifer looked down at his attire and smoothed his hand over the side of his jacket, "I thought this was the field exam, not a fuckin' fashion contest. No matter, when you're as good as me, a few points are meaningless," he stated arrogantly. It was more than just the uniform though; it was the precise reason Squall didn't want to be involved with Seifer. He was incredibly skilled in battle, but lacked foresight and sagacity.

Quistis shook her head and handed him a squad leader armband. "You're the squad leader, good luck to you," she said as Seifer held up a hand, as if he were trying to stop her.

"...Instructor." he began as he strolled over to her casually, "I hate when people wish me luck. Save those words for a bad student that needs them, eh?" he added egocentrically, swiped the armband from her hand and rejoined his posse.

Quistis, in an attempt to get a rise out of the smug Seifer, gave off a fake sigh, "Okay then…" she said, and looked him dead in the eyes as he turned back to her, "Good luck...SEIFER EUGENE!"

Seifer replied with a rebellious snicker and walked over to Raijin, pointing to Quistis as they spoke. Squall pondered that if Seifer, a posterchild of trouble, was part of the much-feared disciplinary committee; _who was disciplining him?_ Was Seifer free to break rules as he pleased just because he was part of the law in Garden? The answer to some degree, sadly, was yes.

Quistis raised an eyebrow, "Well then, you three are assigned to squad B, which is one of three infantry units, and I'll be the instructor in charge. Teamwork is of the utmost importance, let's get through this exam everyone!" she said trying to psyche up her group. Teamwork was cornerstone of SeeD, mainly because they operated in small numbers in the most severe conditions.

Seifer stepped between Squall and Zell as Quistis collaborated with fellow SeeD's. "Listen up! Teamwork means staying the fuck out of my way. It's a squad B rule, don't forget it!" Zell became enraged and started trembling, and put his fists up as if he were about to beat Seifer to a pulp. Seifer grinned humorously at Zell's frustration, gave Squall a final glance, and turned around with his posse.

Squall had fought Seifer on several occasions over his tenure at Balamb Garden, but he wasn't about to start a conflict over something so infantile. Squall felt a bit edgy over the fact that he would no doubt be in his first true battle. He had killed countless fiends and sparred with Seifer and other cadets, but this would be the first time he would probably have to take the life of another human being. Squall realized that it was an element of the job, but he wasn't looking forward to it.

Squall watched as everyone around him scurried into a uniform group. He looked up, spotting the Headmaster of Balamb Garden, Cid Kramer, making his way down the stairwell. Squall quickly fell in, as he was about to get the final allocution before heading off.

"Everyone here?" Cid asked, as another SeeD officer nodded in affirmation, and continued, "It's been a while, everyone. How's everyone doing? This exam will involve twelve cadets separated into four squads with specific objectives. This is smallest class we've had in awhile, so teamwork is very important. Each squad will have a SeeD instructor for support and a squad leader,"he informed them as he grabbed a paper from a young female SeeD. C id was hardly ever seen on the lower floors of Garden, always on the third deck where he worked and lived. He was in his early fifties, with graying brown hair and wide stomach. His outfit consisted of a white, long-sleeved, button down shirt and a red vest with beige corduroy's. His bifocals hung loosely on the bridge of his nose, looking as if they could fall off at any moment.

After a senior SeeD completed reading out the squad assignments, Cid continued, "You will be proceeding to a real battlefield. Obviously, the battles are for real," he paused, as if taking a moment of silence for deaths that very well could occur. There were a few instances where a cadet didn't make it back from a Field Exam, and that's what Cid was doing, preparing them for the worst. "Life and death…victory and defeat…honor and disgrace. Each of these go hand in hand. There's only one way, or the other. How 'bout it? Are you all still up for it?" Cid asked, his eyes assessing the group of prospective SeeD's.

"You will be directly supporting the six SeeD's who will be carrying out the main objective of this mission," he continued, "How you handle your responsibilities on this mission will be the determining factor in whether you become a part of the pride of Balamb Garden; the elite mercenary force...SeeD! Learn from them, obey their commands and accomplish the mission. Prove yourself worthy of becoming a SeeD! Best of luck." Cid finished with a smile to everyone.

"Cadets, get to the parking lot, we will make our way to Balamb City where the vessels await. Fall out!" one of the SeeD officers ordered as everyone hurried to the vehicles. Seifer took his usual _'I'll get there when I get there'_ attitude with him as he walked alongside his posse, who were not part of the exam.

"Mr. Leonhart…" a voice called Squall as he walked away. He turned his head, noticing the Headmaster gesturing him over. Cid and Squall had many meetings in the past, for both good and bad reasons. Oddly, he too had an affinity for Squall, helping and guiding him any way he could.

"I heard about your adventure to the Fire Cavern. Very impressive! Now I have to find another challenging test to task future cadets," he gladly stated with a grin, "We've yet to have a gunblade specialist in SeeD, that is why I am hoping you and Seifer will join us." he hopefully told Squall, who merely nodded as the Headmaster continued.

"Oh and…I think you can hang onto this...you earned it!" Cid remarked, handing Squall the Ifrit stone he had acquired earlier. Squall glanced at it, and put it in his pocket. "Now go," Cid finished and ordered, as Squall saluted and then ran towards the parking lot.

Upon arriving, the cadets filled the armored vehicles with their respective squads. Squall noticed Seifer and Zell boarding one of the vehicles, with Quistis standing outside, waiting for him. "Are you ready?" she asked as he approached.

Squall thought about the question, but the answer eluded even him. He had been preparing for that day since he was a child, and it was finally here. Squall nodded and Quistis stepped in the vehicle waiting for the last passenger to step in. Before boarding, Squall traced over his hand, seeing a shining band that he had been wearing since the day it fit. On the band was a silver etching of a beast that he modeled his life around. A beast that knew no fear, and one that was brave and strong; a beast that survived on its own, just like him. He lowered his hand, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.

* * *

There certainly was uneasiness inside the armored vehicle in transit to the coastal city of Balamb. Squall sat in his seat, quietly collecting his thoughts as Seifer kept his eyes locked on him. Squall took a deep breath, trying to remain calm in the face of Seifer's trivial attempt to aggravate him. He instead chose to lean with his arms resting at his knees, staring continually at the metal panel on the floor.

Squall glanced over at Zell, who was sitting upright, pattering his foot nervously and whistling a ridiculously annoying tune. He then looked over at Quistis, who was sitting quietly by Seifer, reading over her squad's mission details. Squall bowed his head once again, with his long chain dangling loosely out of his shirt. The silver lion head glistened in the artificial light of the vehicle, grabbing Squall's attention. He could barely remember when he received the medallion, much less where he got it. Squall chalked it up to his long-term memory not being that long at all. With all his training, and having to remember absurd things like ingredients to make remedies, he didn't have an interest in remembering who did what, and what happened when unless it had to do with training.

In the midst of his thoughts, Squall was interrupted, "Yo Squall, show me your gunblade, will ya?" Zell asked leaning forward. Squall heard Zell's plea to see his weapon, but paid no attention to it., "C'mon man!" he pleaded again. Squall was still focused on ignoring Zell's advances, hopeful that he might eventually realize it wasn't going to happen. Zell inched his way closer to Squall, "Just a peek?" he asked indicating with his fingers. Again, Squall just sat there, thinking about anything and everything except what Zell was asking.

Zell slid slowly back to his seat and crossed his arms, making a sour face, "Tch, Fine." he said looking across at Quistis who had her eyes widened at him. "Yeah, yeah…" Zell responded to her dissidence before resting back in a sprawled out position.

'_We will be arriving in approximately five minutes, please be ready_.' a voice said over the intercom.

The four went absolutely silent as they heard the announcement. Zell tried to stay quiet, but to no avail as his relentlessness got the better of him, "Why you bein' so selfish? Scrooooge!" he said half jokingly to Squall. Quistis shook her head in discontent as Zell continuously harped him, "Say somethin' will ya? What's on your mind?"

Squall stomped his foot and his head snapped up as he looked at Zell, "Nothin…" he said just before Quistis answered.

"Nothing..." she practically echoed him, and looked over, catching his persistent gaze. She gave him a little smirk, but he quickly shifted his attention back to the floor.

Zell looked at the both of them a bit puzzled, and shrugged. He sat back for a moment, noticeably uncomfortable with the elongated and dreary traverse to Balamb's docks. He stood up and stretched for a moment, before performing a series of hooks and jabs, "Who's bad, who's bad? Zell Dincht, that's who's bad!" he jived as continued his flurry of fists.

"Knock that shit off...it's annoying!" Seifer expressed in a crude voice as he started to load Hyperion with ammunition. Zell stopped upon hearing Seifer and placed his hands on his hips, leering at the tall blonde. Seifer looked up, smirked, and leaned toward Zell.

"…Chicken-puss!" he finished as he reclined with an even wider grin. He had been calling Zell chicken-_something_ for years, sort of like an _un_-honorary title.

Zell's eyes burst open with a blinding rage. He bestirred himself and put his fists back in the air, shaking furiously, "What did you call me, fuckface!?" he exclaimed loudly as Seifer chuckled at Zell's tantrum.

"Knock it off!" Quistis demanded to Zell and Seifer, "Unless you want me to fail both of you right now!" she shouted, shutting both of them up real quick.

Squall didn't exactly enjoy the ride either; it gave him too much time to think. Spontaneous flashes of what his death might be like if it were to happen on that day replayed in his mind, whether it was a gunshot to the head, or an explosion that would mutilate his entire body. He remembered when he first started battling fiends so many years before, every time he worried about getting hurt, he did. After awhile, he became a little too brave, taking on up to six grats at once in the training center. But he knew killing fiends and killing human beings was not the same; not in any aspect.

_Squall was nervous._

Of course, he would never show it. Not to Zell, not to Quistis, and certainly not to Seifer. Squall tried to take his mind off the inevitable and think about something else. _"…Wonder who that girl was in the infirmary today…Maybe Quistis knows..." _he thought as he looked up at Quistis, who was reading an old issue of TimberManiacs.

"...Instructor..." he said as she looked up to acknowledge, "…who was that girl in the infirmary this morning?" he asked.

Quistis quirked her head with a confused look on her face. "Was someone there? I didn't notice anybody except Dr. Kadowaki and a few medics," she said shaking her head. Squall rubbed the back of his tense neck and wondered to himself. "Is there a problem?" Quistis followed up.

"No…not really." Squall answered with a sigh.

"This is great..." Seifer spoke with amusement in his voice, "I have a chicken-pussy and a guy who just reached puberty in my squad. Oh, this is priceless." he cracked at the both of them. Zell turned beat red and grinded his teeth, but abstained from saying a word.

_'We have reached our destination, please be ready to disembark.'_

Squall raised his head and readied himself upon the announcement. He knew the end of that trip just meant the beginning of a new one, one that might be his last. As the vehicle door opened, a group of SeeD supports stood there intolerantly, "Let's go, come on! Hurry the hell up!" they shouted in an abrupt tone. Squall jumped quickly out of the vehicle, took a few steps, and stopped to look at the large crafts that were floating in the waters near the dock.

"So that's the vessel?" Squall asked in astonishment.

"Ain't no turning back now!" Seifer said putting a heavy hand on Squall's shoulder. Squall just stared onward, trying to rid himself of the sinking feeling that had overcome him. "Huh? You aren't scared, are you?" Seifer asked just before a voice interrupted Squall's response.

"Hey, you guys are the last! Hurry up and get in!" a senior SeeD shouted waving squad B over.

Seifer looked over at Squall and patted him on the back, "Don't disappoint me now!" he said as he ran off towards the vessel. The vessels were slick black watercrafts known as **_Creepers_**, which could be used in the shallowest water depths making them ideal as rapid deployment attack crafts or river patrol crafts. It also had tremendous power, with several counter-attack mechanisms and an antitank gun post on the top.

Squall remained dormant for a few moments, pondering the meaning behind what Seifer just said. _"Don't disappoint him? I figured he'd want me to fail." _Squall thought.

Quistis disembarked the vehicle and noticed Squall standing motionless, "Hurry Squall!" she yelled to him. Squall snapped out of his temporary daydream and sprinted forward. He ran ahead, all along the way getting troubled looks from elder SeeD's, but didn't let it slow him down. He reached the entrance, and quickly climbed aboard, careful not to hit his head on the steel frame.

Squall made his way around the corner to the briefing area, which was small and space-efficient, with benches on each side surrounding a bolted-town table. He took a seat on the plush green bench and looked to the front, spotting a brunette woman in her late twenties, who had a very Estharian look about her. She was wearing a highly decorated SeeD outfit and looking over mission statements, speaking with the helmsman via headset. Squall had seen her many times before, but had never formally met her, mainly because she was always with the Headmaster.

"Hi Quistis," the women said as the blonde instructor walked in.

Quistis nodded and looked around, assuring everyone was there, and saluted, "Well Xu, these are the members of squad B. S quad B, this is SeeD Field Captain, Xu Riaan."

Zell stood up and waved, "Nice to meet ya!" Squall simply raised his head in slight acknowledgement.

Xu crossed her arms as she noticed Seifer reclining on the bench, bobbing his head up and down as if he were listening to a tune, "Seifer, how many times has it been now?"

Seifer shrugged and looked at her, "Oh, I just love these exams." He sarcastically replied as he pointed at her and winked.

Xu rolled her eyes, disgusted by Seifer's pretentious mannerisms, "Well, I guess everyone is here, so I'll explain the current situation and mission," she started and pressed a button on the keyboard. In the front of the room, a monitor activated with a digital map of the entire vicinity of the region. "Our client for this mission is the Dollet Dukedom Parliament. A request for SeeD was made eighteen hours ago, and was given the green light. Seventy-two hours ago, Galbadian forces entered the city unexpectedly, demanding Dollet accede to their demands. Dollet refused to cooperate and has been hostilely overthrown."

"Those are international affairs. Let them wipe each other out," Seifer suggested with his left foot resting on his right knee, leaning back lazily.

Xu gave Seifer a stern glance, and continued, "As I was saying...forty-nine hours into the battle, Dollet abandoned their position in the inner city. Galbadian forces were much too heavy for Dollet to handle on their own." she explained as she typed on the keyboard. The screen zoomed in over the Dollet mountain region, with a small video opening up playing a grainy, video feed of the battle, "Currently, they have retreated into the nearby mountains and are reorganizing their troops. But, they are running thin. Alot of Dollet soldiers have already been captured, and some were killed. That's the current status. Now, onto the mission objective."

_"Galbadia, always causing political turmoil!"_ Squall thought to himself as he carefully listened to Xu. Galbadia had a reputation for having to be the forefront of attention, even if it had nothing to do with them. It seemed odd that they would do this for anything other than attention, seeing as Dollet was a small, rural country on the northeast outskirts of Galbadia. Its once dominant empire was disavowed after its war with the Republic of Galbadia twenty years prior, and even though they had some rights as an independent nation, Galbadia dictated it fully as it did to so many other countries on the continent. Dollet had very few remaining resources and its citizens lived humbly, so it was obviously no more than Galbadia flexing its proverbial muscle.

Xu fiddled with the keyboard once again, which made the screen display the entire region, current rally points, and where the main objective was located. "According to our reports, the G-Army is mopping up the Dollet troops in the mountain region. We will arrive at Lapin Beach in eastern Dollet at approximately 1830. We're to eliminate and force out the remaining G-Army within the city, and liberate it A.S.A.P. Afterwards, SeeD members will intercept any G-Army forces trying to make their way into the city from the western mountain region." she explained as she walked back to the table.

"So what are _we _supposed to do?" Seifer questioned firmly.

"Bravo team's objective is to secure the central square." Xu answered.

"Sounds important!" Zell added enthusiastically.

Seifer shook his head, "Sounds BORING."

Xu shrugged her head and gave a look as if he were right, "Maybe it is, but its your job! Just remember, an order to withdraw takes precedence over everything. Do not forget." she said as she looked at a small device that displayed the vessels location.

Squall looked up in confusion, after recalling his studies in world affairs, "Isn't ambushing neighboring countries a crime? The Loyalty Treaty states it loud and clear."

Xu nodded with an uneasy grin, "Deling and Galbadia rewrite the treaty whenever they want. It's not necessarily fair, but it's legal."

"Damn Galbadia!" Zell raged, shaking his head.

"Also, guardian summons are prohibited to only extreme emergencies in this mission. They would cause too much damage in such a small area," Xu informed them.

Quistis nodded, "Right, be careful how you use your magic as well." she added.

Xu held her hand up to her hear, trying to get better clarity on her earpiece, "I think thats everything. It will be another two hours or so before we arrive. Try to stay awake.." she said to the eager group, "We anticipate battle as soon as we disembark. You need to be prepared."

Zell punched his hands in anticipation, presumably ready to kill anyone who stood in his path. Seifer yawned as if he was on his way to a museum, and he was obviously not afraid to kill. Squall on the other hand was preparing himself, for the perilous errand before him. He was desperately trying to attain the rush of adrenaline he usually had before battles, but it wasn't there. In its place was the daunting truth, and the actuality he had no other alternative.

After a few moments of talking with Quistis, Xu finished, "That's all. If you have any questions, please speak with Quistis." she said and exited the briefing area.

Squad B sat quietly, collecting their thoughts. Quistis read, Squall focused, Zell fiddled in his seat and Seifer kept dozing off. A pin drop could be heard in the midst of the silence, as each of their minds raced with a thousand different thoughts. Towards the end of the voyage, Zell seemed more jittery as he squirmed around in his seat, "My first real battle…I'm gettin' pretty nervous." he said in a jumpy voice, breaking the silence.

"Better not piss your pants," Seifer blurted out insolently to Zell.

"Huh? You talkin' to me shit-licker?" he screamed at Seifer, who simply chuckled and turned his head.

Quistis was becoming frustrated with Zell's and Seifer's bickering, "I'm telling you two for the last time…knock it off!" she demanded, then looked at her watch, "We'll be landing pretty soon, so get ready!" Quistis informed them, shooting a focused glare at the squad leader.

Seifer raised his hand, blowing her off, "Yeah, yeah," he answered smugly, belittling Quistis a bit. He straightened his collar and looked over at Squall, "Leonhart, take your ass topside and see what's goin' on. I want a full report." the prima donna commanded with a smirk.

_"Here it goes, Seifer with authority, taking advantage while he can." _Squall thought to himself, but knew that he could be reprimanded if he argued with the squad leader, even if it was Seifer.

"Okay," Squall complied and stood up, stretching his tired legs.

Seifer nodded, "Good, because it's _MY_ order., he added pretentiously. Squall ignored him, and slowly climbed the ladder to the commander's view atop the wide vessel.

Upon opening the heavy metal hatch, he was greeted by the descending sun which hung in the partly cloudy sky. It reflected brightly on the ocean's surface, only to be rippled and swayed by the speed of the vessels. Squall stood at the helm, staring at the war that raged before him. The oceanic zephyrs gusted heavily in his face, causing his eyes to tighten and his long strands of hair to be carried on the wind. In the distance, the destruction was evident. Squall could see devastating explosions and hear gunfire and screams all twisted into one orchestra of carnage. His face became stern, with audacity and trepidation in his eyes at the same time. Squall noticed the vessel was rapidly approaching the drop off point at Lapin Beach. He quickly slid back down the ladder though the hatch, and looked at Seifer.

"Get ready!"

Seifer stood up, and then looked back down at Zell, "You heard me chicken-shit…on your feet!" he demanded as he chuckled and walked towards the exit that was starting to slowly open. Zell clenched his fists and obeyed Seifer's order.

Suddenly, the ship abruptly struck a cement seawall; its front end redirecting upwards and causing the vessel to sail in the air. As it landed back on the shallow water, it quickly reached the beachfront, sending sand and seawater sailing through the air. The deployment hatches opened as the squads quickly exited their vessels and stood on the beach in formation, awaiting further orders.

Red tinted sand and dead bodies littered the beach, causing the knots in Squall's stomach to tighten. Dollet forces had set up a barricade, and were manning rail guns to prevent G-Army forces from attacking the SeeD vessels. Everywhere Squall looked was another battle raging, one soldier trying to kill another for nothing more than political and some ethical differences.

Squall looked back to see Quistis and Xu exchanging salutes, and Xu running off to meet up with the Dollet contact. Quistis then took charge of the group "Squad B, you are to secure the central square!" she screamed over the raucous noises behind them. "Be sure to equip your guardian force before you head into battle!" she yelled and saluted, and ran back on the vessel.

Seifer trotted a few feet ahead and looked back, "Remember the squad B motto, rookies!" he boasted and glared up past the beach and to the town up ahead. The usually tranquil and good-natured Dollet was now nothing more than a battlefield, an absurd example of Deling's ever growing dominance over every state on the continent. Galbadia was no longer a republic; it was a _monocracy_.

As the squads began to move out, Zell stopped, patting his pockets, seemingly frantic over something, "Damn it!"

Squall stopped and looked back, "What is it, Zell?"

"I think I forgot my Golem stone!" Zell stated, after realizing he couldn't find his GF. Most people chose to keep their GF's in their mind where it couldn't be lost, but some chose to carry the stone, to alleviate the alien sensation that came along with junctioning a Guardian Force.

Squall stopped a stared blankly at Zell, "What?" he asked, hoping he misheard Zell, but was quite sure he didn't.

"I had it…I must've left it back in my room." He said, cursing himself. It wouldn't be a good thing if the Garden faculty were to find his Guardian Force stone lying around in the open. Guardian Forces were highly safeguarded and losing or misplacing a GF stone would not only ruin his chances for making SeeD this time, but maybe even for good.

That wasn't the main priority though, staying alive was. Squall looked back, soldiers from both sides volleying gunfire beneath the underpass in the avenue ahead. It would be suicide to walk in there without a Guardian Force, which was SeeD's primary means of defense. Squall pulled the dark ruby stone out of his pocket and looked at it, before tossing it over to Zell.

"Here, don't lose it!"

Zell caught it and observed it, and then closed his eyes, letting the GF enter his mind. Zell's body shivered, his head jerked and his eyes gleamed red, gasping as Ifrit's raw strength flowed through his body. "Whoa, that's a rush, thanks!" he said giving Squall a thumbs-up, and rubbed his temple, hearing Ifrit's distant voice in his mind

"Are we done playing patty-cake?" Seifer asked rudely. Squall pulled out his gunblade and Zell nodded, putting his fists up. Seifer quickly spun back around and pointed towards the central square with Hyperion, "Let's move out!"

Squall trudged through the dark sand, passing fallen soldiers and scattered debris along his way. There was a nauseating odor; a mix of gory death, gun powder, and grenade smoke looming in the air, making it difficult to breath. Squall followed closely behind Zell, who had slowly started to become hesitant. Seifer was, as always, overconfident, and leading the way for squad B.

Finally, they reached the decrepit stairwell, which was cracked and worn down from excessive use over the years . Squall carried his gunblade attentively, gripping the handle so tight that his hand was shaking. Clouds of smoke from the prior explosions made seeing anything in the distance a task in its own.

Upon reaching the top of the stairwell, Seifer peeked over the wall, eying two Galbadian soldiers standing over top a few bodies of fallen Dollet soldiers. He ducked back down and looked at Squall, "Remember, it's you or them! I don't want to have to drag your corpse out of here!" he demanded to Squall, and pointed over at Zell who was plastered against the crumbling, brown brick wall, "Same for you, chicken-shit!" he added, Zell too distracted to get offended at Seifer's comment, even though it wasn't completely intended as an insult.

The Galbadian infantry were many, clad in their standard thermal dark blue battle dress uniforms with steel plated arm and chest plates, with their rank and insignia carved on the left breast. Their helmets were also steel plated, with earpieces and 'Tri-Sight' goggles, which had wide variety of functions, from seeing long distances and aiming perfectly, to heat and night vision capabilities. They carried long, standard issue blades, with black automatic assault rifles strapped to their backs.

Seifer trotted up the stairwell slowly as the two soldiers were turned, pillaging the bodies of the fallen Dollet troops. Their only option was confrontation, being that the byway was barricaded with a burning wall of rocks and scrap metal. He ascended the steps slowly and looked down below, where Squall was shaking his head. It wasn't a SeeD tactic to initiate direct violence, but these were Seifer's rules, and they were totally precarious.

Seifer kicked a chunk of broken brick with his foot, grabbing the soldiers' attentions. "Well, I'm never coming here on vacation again!" Seifer stated boldly, baffling the soldiers.

"Who the hell are you? If you're a civilian, I recommend you find shelter!"

"A civilian? Hardly..." from underneath his jacket, Seifer revealed his black blade, and leaned cockily on it as the soldiers took position.

"What? Put the weapon down! I repeat, put the weapon down!"

"Terribly sorry, but I can't do that!" he answered cockily, with his eyes gleaming a chilling electric blue. The two soldiers jumped back at the bizarre occurrence. Knowing that Seifer wasn't going to last long himself, Squall ran up the stairs and. Zell followed close behind, cracking his knuckles as he joined his team.

"It's about time!" Seifer exclaimed to Squall, and tapped the tip of his blade on the ground in front of him.

The first soldier attacked, taking a swift horizontal slice towards Seifer, missing him as he ducked under it. Seifer swung down, but the soldier raised his sword in time to block the impending strike. With the blades intersected, the soldier swung a right haymaker at Seifer and missed. Seifer pulled the soldier back, pressing Hyperion's cold blade against his neck.

"Please, don't kill me!" the soldier pleaded with a trembling voice.

"_Non timetis messor_…" Seifer muttered to the man in ancient Centran, seconds before the curved part of Seifer's blade slid across, tearing a deep gash in the soldiers throat, slashing several arteries and dropping the man's lifeless body to the ground.

The second soldier sprung forth, and swung his razor sharp blade at Zell twice, missing him both times. Zell threw a hard right fist, but missing as the soldier turned sharply, elbowing Zell in the kidney and knocking him to the ground. Squall watched as the slender blade rose in the air, about to strike down upon the unknowing Zell. Squall regripped the handle his gunblade, as a spark lit off in the back off his mind.

Thinking wasn't a necessity at the moment, reacting was. As the man prepared to strike Zell, Squall quickly thrust forward, feeling as the tip of his blade impelled deeply within the soldiers chest, ripping through the soldiers manubrium. The soldier dropped his sword and looked down at the steel that was lodged inside of him. He struggled to breath as he gave Squall a horrendous glare. He reached at Squall, weakly grabbing Squall's blue jacket top. Squall dislodged the blade, glaring at the dark crimson that covered his blade for the first time. As he watched the man take his final breaths, he had felt a sense of victory, a certain feeling that he had survived a battle to the death, but at the same time it was by far, the worst feeling Squall had ever felt. It was a deep, dawning chasm in the depths of his soul, which could never be explained to someone who had never taken a life.

Seifer stood there looking at Squall who was completely motionless, "Get used to it," Seifer began as he spun his gunblade in the air, "…because its your job!" he finished wistfully, and walked under the brick archway.

"Are you alright man?" Zell asked patting Squall on the back. Squall couldn't even think of an answer to that particular question. His body, as well as his mind felt frozen, knowing that Seifer was right. It _was_ his job.

Squall holstered his weapon, and followed behind Seifer. They all walked alertly beneath the war torn underpass, knowing more soldiers were somewhere around the corner. All of a sudden, three cadets from squad A brushed past them. "There should be an info-net cable around here somewhere," one of the cadets shouted, sweeping rubble out of a corner.

"What the hell are you doing? What's your squads objective?" Seifer asked, sternly and rudely.

Another cadet walked over and switched on a portable mainframe tablet,"To gather the latest information using the Information Network System. We gotta do what we can without the use of radio waves," he told Seifer directly, and then took a few steps back, "So basically, unlike you guys, we use our heads!" he said as he laughed vainly with the other two squad A members. A short brown haired cadet used his laser cutter to cut and splice the cables, and connected it to an inlet in the back.

"So what, you guys are intel...big-friggin whoop! You don't even get a chance to see any real action!" Zell boasted, with the squad A members rolling their eyes.

"We are the brains, you guys are the brawn. We are to assist in battle only if absolutely needed!" the member of squad A stated.

Seifer took a step forward, as if he wanted to throttle them. Squall walked up beside the irate Seifer, just to make sure he didn't do anything brash, "Backup duty…seems boring," Squall stated, which didn't sit well with the members of squad A.

"Boring? Maybe, but if it weren't for us, you'd be running around in circles!" one of the soldiers spat back at Squall.

Zell clapped his hands, stimulated with excitement, "Either way, we're gonna be the heroes on the frontline!" he said as he raised his hand high in the air.

"Sheesh, give me a break. All you meatheads are the same. Get to your station, will ya?" one of the cadets from squad A demanded cockily and turned around. From behind the corner ran out five truculent G-Army soldiers. The members of squad A gasped, immediately finding refuge behind squad B.

Zell became infuriated, "I thought we were just meatheads?" he exclaimed.

"Like I said, we are just in charge of intelligence. We'll leave the fighting up to you," One cadet replied running back further, carrying the computer unit.

"Fuckin' pussies!" Seifer called them as he drew his blade and charged.

The first soldier stopped in his tracks, and pointed at the gang, "Who are you?" he yelled as they moved into battle positions. Seifer quickly cast a fire spell, the small flame erupting in one of the soldier's face, causing him to drop his blade, and grasp his burnt face.

Zell ran up and landed a left hook on the side of the second soldier's head. A loud clank rang out as Zell's metal knuckle clashed with the steel helmet, causing the soldier to stumble and crash into the hard green-brick wall. The third soldier side-kicked Zell in the ribs, causing him to bend over in pain, and then swatted Zell across his face with a hard rubber glove.

Squall pulled out his blade ready for combat, with Seifer next to him. They both charged, and began dueling swords with the remaining soldiers. Seifer dueled for a moment, but quickly ended the fight with a stab to the heart and the pull of his trigger.

Squall was much better trained at sword fighting than his foe, and had several opportunities to end the fight, but didn't take them. He was trying desperately to find a way to end the battle without taking his assailants life, but it seemed unavoidable. Squall blocked an overhand strike, and kicked the soldier in the gut, knocking the wind out of him and causing the soldier to fall to the ground and drop his blade.

As Squall approached with his gunblade ready, the soldier crawled to his knees, "Please, spare my life…please!" he begged. Squall hesitated after hearing the desperate plea, giving the soldier just enough time to reach for the handgun on his hip. Before the soldier could take aim, Squall watched as a black blade covered in blood protruded from the soldier's chest cavity.

As it slowly dislodged, the soldiers' limp carcass hit the ground. Standing on the other side holding his gunblade was Seifer, staring heatedly at Squall. He darted over and grabbed Squall by his collar, shaking him fiercely, "What the fuck is your problem, huh!?" he shouted as he shoved Squall on the ground in a feat of anger.

Squall couldn't even get mad, because he knew Seifer had a point. He was confused however about why Seifer was taking it so personally. Was it because he was afraid that could have been him, or because he didn't want to see Squall die? Squall didn't even bother to analyze it. He slowly stood up, dusted himself off, and then looked at Seifer, "I don't know what happened..." he stammered, knowing if it weren't for Seifer, he might've just been killed.

"Leonhart, I don't know what kind of damn moral dilemma you have about killing, but you better get over it! They know the risks just as well as we do, damn it! So if you don't wanna do this, I suggest you go back to the vessel and wait! What's it gonna be?" Seifer coarsely asked Squall with his arms crossed.

Squall looked around, seeing not only the lives that Seifer took, but the one Zell took as well. The soldier's body sat in front of him, with his neck twisted sickeningly. He looked at Zell who had his back turned at the time bowing his head, _"I know how he feels." _Squall thought to himself, as he looked back at Seifer who was waiting for an answer. Squall actually gave Seifer credit for making some very key points, such as admitting the potential consequence of their profession.

"I'll be fine," Squall finally answered.

"Then lets get going," he said as he turned around, and walked towards the motionless Zell, "C'mon chicken-puss, we don't have all day," he said and kept walking. Squall could tell by the deadpan gaze on Zell's face that he too had received a scar that may eventually fade, but would never truly go away.

The dim aluminum streetlights of the small town were illuminating the very narrow cobblestone streets of Dollet, along with a few neon signs such as _'Spice_' and '_Rutgers Tavern_' hanging above the bars and pubs. Dollet was a modest country, deficient of the technological and financial perks most other countries and states had. Its used to be a thriving kingdom before Deling became president, but had stripped Dollet of all of its rights as an independent nation, and most of the land was seized by Deling. It still had a small army to defend its few remaining resources, which lied mainly in shipping Galbadian exports, but the coldhearted president basically governed most of it's decisions.

They continued down the desolate street, walking attentively and searching for any G-Army soldiers that may have been planning a sneak attack. The street led on for over a mile, and they hadn't been confronted once, only spotting citizens staring out the windows of the pubs and houses, curious as to what was happening in their usually peaceful town. Walking along, Seifer paused, and held his hands up to stop Squall and Zell.

Squall looked to his right and to his left, and then back at Seifer. "What's wrong?"

Seifer, however, did not answer. He walked ahead with a peculiar look on his face, scanning the area before him. Seifer was not one to be paranoid, so Squall knew something must have set him off. Squall began to draw his gunblade, but was surprised as Seifer spun around and cast his arm forward.

Squall and Zell turned quickly to see a surge of electricity bolt from the sky, striking a G-Army soldier who had leaped from the crosswalk overhead, preparing to dice into the foes below. The soldier was sent sailing through the air, finally landing on the unforgiving street, convulsing from the electricity that flowed though his body. Seifer walked over to the injured soldier, and planted his blade into the man's midsection, ensuring he would not pose any further threats. Seifer pulled his blade from the bleeding corpse, and pointed down the street.

"The Central Square is up ahead!" he said excitedly, taking a few quick strides forward, "HEY! All you Galbadian cowards out there! Come out 'n show your faces...don't leave me hangin' now!" he shouted loudly, his voice echoing continuously in the constricted area, bouncing off the stone buildings and through the dimming skies.

Zell and Squall watched as Seifer sprinted ahead in jovial excitement. "…What an idiot." Zell spat. They continued onward to catch up to Seifer who was waiting for them by the stone fountain that was in the center of the square. There were several street markets and stores, and the Dollet museum, which was Dollet's most coveted building. It was more of a tribute to immortalize Dollet's prominent past; their last real grip on their former sovereignty.

Suddenly, a G-Army soldier emerged from the shadows and ran towards Squall, who turned just in time to see the attack, but was a bit too late as the blade impaled deep into his left shoulder. He fell to the ground in pain, backing up as fast as he could so the soldier could not strike again. Zell quickly came to his aid, casting a thunder spell that struck the soldier in the chest, causing him to fly back and hit the ground hard, incapacitating him. Squall kneeled on the ground, out of breath and in a lot of pain.

"Are you alright Squall?" Zell said as he knelt by his side.

"Damn!" Squall said punching the ground. He stood up slowly, still breathing hard, and raised his hands. A colorful spectrum of energy formed around Squall, as he cast the cure magic upon himself. The energy began to flow around, healing a portion of the pain that had been inflicted on him. The feeling was kind of painful itself, as his wounds began to miraculously close up a bit. Squall stood straight up, still dazed, and shook his head. He looked around for a moment, this time his gunblade was in his hand in case of any more sudden attacks.

"There may be more…" he said as he continued scanning the area.

Seifer nodded, "All right, I want you guys to scout the area for enemies," he ordered.

Squall agreed and started to patrol the area thoroughly. Zell slowly walked towards a broken down car that blocked off one of the backstreets. As Zell searched the area, an armed soldier charged from behind the vehicle, taking a steady jab at the short blonde. Zell barely dodged the attack, and quickly retaliated with a jab of his own, nailing the soldier square in the gut. The soldier huffed as the wind got knocked out of him, and took another swing, hitting Zell in the side of his head. Zell disregarded the pain as he saw another fist flying at him and ducked under it, sweeping his leg around and slamming his foot on the side of the soldiers' knee. The soldier cried out as his patella cracked and broke loudly, at which point Zell uppercut the soldier, with Ifrit's strength knocking the man high in the air, and crashing back down onto the aged car.

Seifer clapped sarcastically as he walked toward Zell and whistled, "Fancy footwork chicken bitch!" he cracked as Zell just stared at him.

Squall walked up behind Seifer after searching the area, "I think the area is clear., he said as he slipped his gunblade back into its scabbard.

Seifer shoved the incapacitated soldiers body off of the car and leaned against it, "Well then, I suppose we're on standby 'til the enemy comes," Seifer said has he kicked the dirt under his feet feverishly, "Standby...How boring."

Moments later, an outbreak of explosions sounded off in the mountains along with the sound of thousands of trampling footsteps. The Dollet Army in conjunction with SeeD forces had obviously begun their counter-offensive strategy to force the remaining G-Army soldiers out of the city.

"Sounds like it's starting. They may come through here," Squall stated as he took a few short steps forward.

"Bring it on..." Seifer replied, craving for action. Seifer walked away from the area where they were positioned, and came to a stop by the polished sculpture in the middle, pacing back and forth. Moments later, a brown lab ran up next to Seifer, and nestled up to his leg. Seifer looked down in repugnance, and shook his leg, "Get outta here, ya mutt!" he yelled as the dog bowed its head, and slowly backed away from Seifer, "Scram!" Seifer yelled, directing the dog with his arm cruelly. The dog whimpered and ran off.

Twenty minutes passed by, and still there was no sight of any soldiers in the Central Square. They had done the job they were tasked with doing, but just sitting on his hands made Squall feel a bit uneasy. He assumed something wasn't going according to plan if all they were doing was waiting.

_"A trap, maybe? Maybe not."_ Squall thought.

The sun's light was beginning to fade more and more, and the day was quickly turning to night. Seifer stomped his foot on the ground in displeasure, being that patience was not his defining quality. He did not like having to wait for anything, and this wasn't helping his disposition. It felt as if they had been sent on sedentary pursuit, free from any form of achievement or goal, as if they were put somewhere off to the side so they didn't interfere with the task at hand. The other squads may not have been as close to the action, but at least they were serving a purpose. Squad A was in charge of collecting intel, squad C were assisting Dollet troops, and squad D was serving as the medics.

"Hey, you Galbadian cocksuckers! What are you waiting for? Come show me what you got!" Seifer shouted, hoping some action might come their way.

Squall heard nothing but silence, "…Nothing." he said, feeling just as bored as his colleagues.

"The HELL?" Zell yelled frenzied, feeling the effects of the inactiveness, "Man, now this is what I call boring. Somethin's not right man," he said as he began to pace.

Squall leaned indolently against the brick wall of the building, staring up at the light purple sky, with trails of pink streaking the horizon as the sun started to dip behind it. He could still feel a faint soreness in his shoulder from the recent attack, but he just ignored it. He did, however, wonder why the cut on his face left a scar, but many other cuts he had gotten over the years just disappeared with a simple cure. Now he had an identical mark with Seifer, someone he really wanted to have the least in common with as possible.

Seifer glanced down at his watch, and shook his head, "Still keeping us waiting..." Seifer remarked impatiently. He began walking back and forth, scratching the tip of his gunblade on the street as he did so. "This is fuckin' ridiculous! What kind of test is this supposed to be?" Seifer shouted, glancing over to Squall, who just looked towards the mountains where all the action seemed to be.

Moments later, Zell could feel Ifrit's spirit raging within his mind. He lifted his head, and walked to the center of the square. Squall noticed Zell just standing out ahead of him, not saying a word, just listening. "Zell, what's wrong?"

Seifer cut off Zell's reply, "He's having one of those 'not so fresh' feelings." Seifer said with a small laugh.

Zell took another few steps forward "…Do you guys hear that?"

"Sit down chicken-shit, you're imagining things!" Seifer said, just before an onslaught of stomping footsteps and harsh voices filled the air.

"Here they come!" Zell shouted, hearing the voices coming down one of the avenues that connected to the square.

Seifer swung his blade down diagonally, "About damn time!" he shouted. Squall and Zell quickly ducked down behind the marble fountain, as Seifer ducked down behind an abandoned merchandise outlet. Squall peeked over slightly to get a view of what was going on, but was careful not to be seen.

The soldiers then began flooding out, with one officer dressed in blood red gear leading the way. "Right flank, double time, march!" the officer shouted, as he along with his platoon turned up the road that led to bridge that connected to the eastern mountain region. All together there were probably around seventy soldiers passing through, scampering on the streets like a deranged mob. A few moments later, all the G-Army soldiers were out of sight.

Squall stood up, along with Zell, "It's the enemy," Squall stated the obvious, looking back at Seifer.

Zell squinted to see if he could make out anything, "Where the hell they goin'?" Zell asked in a baffled tone.

Squall stared off into the distance, looking for anything that might be of interest to the G-Army. For a moment, he noticed nothing in plain view, until he looked higher up to the top of the mountain region, coming across a massive tower the stood high atop the cliff.

"Could that be it?" Squall said just loud enough for Seifer and Zell to hear.

Zell squinted as he looked around, finally spotting the tower, "Oh yeah…what the hell is that?"

Seifer took a step forward, keeping his eyes on the contraption, "Our next destination..." he said in a menacing tone, with a devilish smirk on his face.

Zell's eyes shot open with his mouth, "But that's against orders!" Zell exclaimed, not wanting to be reprimanded for not following orders.

"Weren't you just saying how bored you were?" Seifer asked Zell sternly.

Zell looked at Seifer, not quite sure what to say. He was bored, but was not so incredibly weary that he would go against direct orders from his superiors. Zell grumbled, and spun around, eying Squall who looked preoccupied. "Squall!" Zell asked, pleading to hear Squall's thoughts on the situation.

Squall looked at Zell, and then back up at the toppling structure high atop the mountain. "_On the one hand, Seifer may drag us all in the gutter with him not following orders. Then again, we won't do any good sitting here doing nothing_." Squall thought. He turned around, and let out a sigh, "I stand by the captain's decision, whatever it is," he said reluctantly. Zell was shocked; not that Squall was complying to go against orders, but actually agreeing with Seifer.

Seifer shot a look at Squall, "…Captain's decision?" he asked, as if he were surprised to hear Squall's reply. "You want to wreak havoc too, don't you?"

Squall wasn't quite used to killing human beings yet, but he figured it wasn't going too get much easier. "It's a good opportunity to test out my training. Thanks to you, I feel like I can take on anyone…" he said as he walked up closer to Seifer, staring him dead in the eyes, "…even if they do fight dirty, like you."

"You'll thank me when the time comes," Seifer insisted and turned away, eying Squall out the corner of his eye. "There is a fine line between fighting dirty and survival. The sooner you two understand there is no such thing as fighting dirty, the sooner you won't hesitate to do so."

Zell watched as Squall and Seifer conversed in a way he had never seen before, "What the hell, I thought you guys didn't get along? Now you're like, all buddy-buddy n'shit." Zell said to the both of them bewilderedly. "Listen, this ain't no ordinary battle. It's an exam...an important one! I'm tellin' ya, we have'ta stick to orders!" Zell insisted as slammed his clenched hand down into his palm.

Seifer quickly swung around, "Then stay here. I don't need any gay boy scouts." Seifer said callously to Zell as he walked past him, nudging him with his shoulder.

"What was that?" Zell retorted. "You got somethin' to say?"

"Don't take him seriously Zell," Squall said, trying to instill peace among the two. He then turned to Seifer who was standing to the other side of him, "Seifer, if we're gonna go...we need to go now," Squall informed him.

Seifer looked at Squall who was staring back, and nodded, "The enemy is headed for the facility atop the mountain. We, Squad B, are to secure the summit! " Seifer gave orders to Zell and Squall, and turned around, pointing to the top of the mountain with Hyperion. "Move out!"

Squall looked at Zell who was shrugging in bewilderment. He moved his head, gesturing Zell to come along as he ran ahead. Zell raised both of his hands in the air and shook his head in divergence, "Tch…Fine." he agreed, and followed his fellow squad members as they raced towards their new objective.

Squad B had just abandoned their designation post.

Their future was now in jeopardy.

* * *

**Inside Look**

Long chapter…it was actually modified quite a bit from my original. I think I may have had Squall a bit soft in the original version, but I changed it up a bit. My intentions were never for Squall to be soft, just a little confused when he makes his first human kill. Being that he isn't a coldhearted killer, it's justifiable that he he'd be a bit reticent.

Also, that chicken-WUSS comment isn't in here. This story is going to have a more mature feel, and a lot of that cheesy language that they use in the story is going to be cut and replaced.

Another thing I forgot to mention in the previous chapter was the GF concept in this story. I think it's pretty much the same as the game, with a few minor differences. In the game, only one person can carry any one particular GF at one time, and that's how it works in my story. Though, since I feel that they should all have their own GF's, I have added a bunch of GF's to this story, whether it be from past Final Fantasies, or just an original, there will me more in my story. Some may just have a cameo, while some will play a greater role.

**Prodigy's Corner**

**DBZ Fanfiction Queen:** I thought you'd like the Ifrit battle…just a hunch. The battle did end fast, and I was trying to write it a little better, but it was just one of those things I overlooked a bit. It seemed like it worked, and I wanted it to end somewhat quickly, but not quite as quick as it ended up. And actually, I did mention about Quistis breathing heavily, but it could've been done a little better.

As far as the sleeping thing goes, that's not true at all. There are A LOT of people that can sleep standing up, like narcoleptics, and regular people who are just really, really tired! ;)

**Peter J Marcroft:** Aww, good to hear from ya again Pete. Thanks for reviewing. I know there will be a lot of parts that will not be perfect, but I read it so much and try to dissect each individual paragraph, that sometimes it doesn't click until someone points it out. That's why I really need an editor!

**Kaiser:** Glad to be back! Yes, it has only gotten better and will get finished this time. I am getting out of the military soon, so I will have some extra free time to work on this.

**Water-lily43:** Hey Lily, great to see ya back! Hope I answered your Ifrit question in the Inside Look. Happy to hear the descriptions made ya sweat, I target my descriptions on making the reader feel as if they were right there. Doesn't always work, but most of the times I think it does at least to some degree.

**I'd also like to apologize. I set a release date for Thursday, but as you know, this is Sunday. There will be times when that may happen, but rest assured that its to no fault of my own, and I had no control over it. But as long as its nothing too serious, it will usually be posted within a few days.**

**Next chapter will be out Friday. I have a pre-separation brief this week, so I will only get to work on it at night. **

**Thanks for reviewing!**

**CJ AKA: Prodigy**


	5. Chapter IV: Escape from Dollet

_-Never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy, but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events- **Winston**** Churchill**_

**Chapter IV**

**_Escape from Dollet_**

The twilight of the sky gave a off an ominous glow, and the sun quickly receded into the backdrop as the members of squad B made their way up the rock-strewn path. Squall hadn't quite felt the same since taking his first life, something he didn't care to experience again, but knew it was kismet. Yes, the life of a warrior, a path he willingly chose to follow and vow his life to. Since the tender age of six, this had been his destiny, and while he didn't necessarily look forward to life as a killer, he felt that as long he was doing it for the better good and to those that threatened the innocent; he would not hesitate to kill again.

Still, as much as Squall tried to accept it, his conscience wouldn't let him. His hands were trembling and he had broken into an ague. Still, without gripe, he marched on with his colleagues at his side, holding tightly onto his heavy gunblade, prepared for anything. After about ten minutes, the group finally reached St. Luther Bridge, which extended over the halcyon sea below to the mountainside, and lead to the tower above. Squall wiped the fresh layer of perspiration that had settled on his forehead as he scanned the bridge. The area was notably lull for a region that should have been swarming with Galbadian infantry.

Squall circumspectly made his way ahead of the rest of the group, _"What the hell are they planning?" _he thought as he moved onward, careful not to make too much noise before discerning what the G-Army had planned.

Squall shook his head, not hearing or seeing a soldier in sight, "Is it a trap?" he whispered, just loud enough for his colleagues to hear.

Zell strolled up, giving Squall a reassuring pat on the back. "Squall, you're just being paranoid man! They know better than to mess with SeeD." He stated in an overly excited manner.

Squall acknowledged Zell's reply, but said nothing as he continued forth. Seifer brushed past Zell and smirked, "Well you ain't even close to being a SeeD, chicken-shit!" he insulted, laughing at his own cruelty.

Zell spit and pointed at Seifer, "One of these days Seifer, I swear…" Zell said, catching himself before he said anything he'd regret. Zell was definitely not a spitting image of self-control, but he did, at least, know where to draw the line. No matter how much Seifer deserved it, verbal abuse on Zell's behalf would tarnish his chances of making SeeD. They both continued keeping pace with Squall at the front, careful not to lose focus of the fact they might be walking into in ambush.

Upon reaching the center of the bridge, Squall halted, tilting his head to the side, allowing him to see the background out the corner of his eye. The peaceful venture across the bridge had finally been interrupted, as he descried three G-Army soldiers walking at them. None had their weapons drawn, nor did they seem hostile, but it seemed so unlike the G-Army tactics. Squall had always learned that most armies traveled in platoons no smaller than twelve, and usually larger, and that SeeD were the only ones that traveled in such small groups.

Seeing Squall looking back, Zell and Seifer turned, noticing what he had been focused on. The soldiers slowed their pace, but continued forth nonetheless. Squall turned as well, preparing himself, and reciting Seifer's words. It was not a genuinely gratifying feeling that Seifer had actually given vigilant counsel, but regardless who spoke the words, they were very true.

The soldiers walked just within ten meters of the group, and stopped. All three were standard Galbadian infantry soldiers, and like most other field soldiers in the G-Army, they were brusque and overconfident, jumping into conflict like famished crocodiles on a slab of meat. One of the soldiers strode forward a few steps to get a better look. Squall didn't budge as Zell took a battle stance, and Seifer smirked maliciously, relishing the opportunity to use his gunblade.

The approaching soldier stopped and leaned forward, as a wide smile came to his face. "What? Kids!" he said and chuckled as he looked back at his company, "They're fuckin' kids!" he yelled as the three laughed in unison.

Squall stood with his arms crossed. The soldiers were underestimating them; underestimating SeeD, which in turn could, and probably would, lead to their own demise. Zell viscously glared at the soldiers, placing his hands on his hips and narrowing his brow as he stared on. Seifer trembled with a fierce rage; he was never one to tolerate such disrespect. The few that chose to do the same in the past often found themselves in the infirmary, and Seifer found himself in the disciplinary chamber. Though, this time, it was different. No set rules stood between Seifer and the lives of these soldiers.

Seifer quickly drew out his weapon and pointed it at the soldiers, "Who the hell you callin' kids, numbnuts!" Seifer demanded, the desire to attack mounting by the second.

The soldiers stopped laughing after Seifer armed himself, but inexplicably none of them followed suit. The leading soldier stepped forward, "Look, if you come along quietly, we promise, we won't hurt you." The soldier said in a patronizing voice.

Zell shook his head and smirked, "Hurt us? You and what army?" he said shot back with a chuckle. The soldier smiled and pointed to the far end of the bridge, where it connected to the mountain range. From the portal flooded out forty or so heavily armed Galbadian soldiers, who formed a human barricade across the bridge, raising their guns at the three youthful cadets.

Zell's eyes widened and he looked back at the three soldiers in front of him, "Oh, that army."

It was against Garden battle regulations to abandon post, even in the most grim of circumstances, and the SeeD support wouldn't even bother helping unless one of them were to be killed. It seemed pretty cold to let someone die before assisting, but the cadets had to learn how to handle such conditions if they were to become SeeD's.

The soldier grinned slightly, "Care to change your mind, son?" he questioned to Seifer, a bit sternly.

"I'm not your son you fat fuck! You come one step closer, I'll gut you like a pig!" he spat back, keeping his blade pointed at the soldier.

"Have it your way!" the man shrugged and raised his hand, preparing to give the order to move in.

"Wait!" Squall called out, causing the soldier to pause, and all eyes to turn to him. "We will comply." He stated as he knelt down, and laid his gunblade on the bridge below. He took a deep breath and held his hands up in the air.

"Are you crazy?" Seifer snapped, lowering his blade, and getting into Squall's face.

Squall remained calm and kept his hands raised and eyes forward, "We're outnumbered Seifer. Even you have to admit that."

With that statement, Seifer looked around. The unit that had just moved in had semi-automatic rifles aimed directly at him, knowing not even para-magic or his low level Guardian Force could protect him from that much firepower. He looked back at the three soldiers before him, and raised his blade once again. "I aint goin' nowhere. They come any closer, they're dead."

Squall shook his head, disappointed by Seifer's usual reluctance, "Do what you want Seifer." He replied as he walked forward, seemingly surrendering himself.

Zell was dumbstruck, never thinking Squall would just give up so easily. "Squall…" He questioned with confusion in his tone. Squall nodded in compliance, and continued walking.

The soldier reached to his hip, grabbing a pair of handcuffs and inching closer as Squall approached. "That's it. Nice and easy." He said as he came up in front of Squall. "Hands in front of you maggot!" he demanded. The man had already made numerous mistakes in detaining Squall, first not drawing his own weapon, and now allowing Squall to move on his own will. All military were taught to totally control the situation, but in all practical senses, the soldier had no control whatsoever.

As the soldier began to slide the cuff over Squall's right hand, Squall spun his wrist and grabbed the soldiers hand and spun under his arm, the soldier wincing in pain as Squall came behind him, applying pressure. Quezacotl's voice had warned him of an oncoming attack, and from the corner of his eye, he noticed the other two had drawn their blades and were preparing to attack. With Quezacotl's speed and senses, Squall pulled out his captive's blade, slicing across with flawless precision, cutting one attacker's carotid artery, which was followed by a sick gurgling sound, and immediate death.

The second attacker was frozen in a moment in fear, and then began his charge again. As the soldier sliced down haphazardly, Squall twisted out, causing his captives arm to stretch out under the descending blade. Before the soldier could react, his blade tore a bloody gash deep through his colleague's forearm, causing him to fall to the ground and grasp his arm, and eventually black out in the throws of pain.

The soldier looked down at his mistake, until Squall grabbed his collar with one hand and pulled the combat knife from his lapstrap with the other. As he pulled forward, and prepared to imbed the blade in the enemy, he noticed something. It wasn't his fear of killing, which for the most part, had passed. The soldiers bottom lip was quivering in obvious terror, something his eyes couldn't convey covered behind the metal helmet. Squall used his knife to cut the chinstraps of the helmet and slid it off. The man under the mask was barely a man at all, not much older than he was. His eyes were moist with the fear of death. Squall seen nothing more than a boy; a boy caught up in a man's bloody game. Squall disarmed the young soldier, and then shoved him off. The youth was so relieved to survive that he quickly turned and ran back down the path without a second thought.

Squall turned, noticing the watchful eyes of Zell and Seifer on him. "Didn't think you had it in ya. You proved me wrong." Seifer praised, impressed after Squall's animalistic display. It seemed like it was all a game to Seifer, but the manner in which he explained death told different story. Seifer had already been in two previous field exams, so killing wasn't exactly new to him.

As Zell began to speak, the sound of forty odd clicking guns grabbed the three cadets attention. They backed up slowly, as the barrels of Galbadian HK-G36 assault rifles locked onto them. The leading sergeant stepped forward, sporting a withered brown beard and scar on his chin. He had a golden viper molded into his chest plate, representing his zealous service to the Galbadian Viper force.

"That was stupid. Really damn stupid!" The soldier demanded, and moved back behind his men, raising his arm. "On my order, fire at the intruders!"

Zell gasped as the three looked on, as the order for their death had been placed. Squall's face was inexpressive, as Seifer looked on with an indefinable passion gleaming in his eyes. Zell on the other hand, was at a crossroad of emotions, anger and consternation toying with his mind. Zell slammed his fist into his hand and stepped forward. "We aren't dying! Not today!" he demanded, as he went into what looked like a standing praying position.

The sergeant laughed, "Yeah, say your prayers kid. You're gonna need it." He implied death was nigh as he stepped back again.

"Ready…" he started, as the soldiers ensured their guns were ready.

"Aim…" he yelled as the soldiers took direct aim on their targets. Squall looked over at Zell, aware of what he was doing, and stepped behind Zell, motioning Seifer to do the same. It seemed stupid to sergeant for them to think that they would be able to hide there long after they begun firing, but the he paid no attention, and gave the final order.

"FIRE!"

The guns began to blast one after another, as an onslaught of bullets sped towards the group. As the bullets that were on mark drew near to Zell's stationary form, orange fields of energy shone brightly, as the bullets burned into smoking oblivion. The sergeant gave the order to cease-fire and walked forward, pulling out a .9mm pistol as he walked up to the blonde cadet who had his eyes closed. He looked around, seeing no sign of any energy shields or the like, and pointed the gun at the young mans face.

"This'll get your fucking attention!" he said and pulled the trigger at point blank range. The bullet shot from his gun, and in less than an instant, the bullet burned up into a stream of smoke.

The soldier looked at his gun oddly, "What the hell?" he said, before two inflamed red orbs that were Zell's eyes caught his eye.

Zell's devilish form smiled, "THAT WASN'T VERY NICE!" he growled in a demonic tone, and grabbed the barrel of the handgun. It began to glow with a reddish-orange energy, and proceeded to melt the sergeant's hand, making him scream in agony as the scorching molten metal covered his hands. Zell punched forward as a wave of flames followed his fist, and landed powerfully into the soldier's chest plate, sending him flying swiftly back fifty feet, landing just in front of the platoon of soldiers. They all looked down at their platoon leader, whose body was twitching and convulsing. The soldiers hastily redirected their attention as well as their guns back at the group, but it was too late. All three were gone.

"Where'd they go? Where'd they go?" one soldier yelled out in panic. From out of nowhere an echong, cryptic laughter filled the sky. Many of the soldiers were stricken with fear, one even deciding to run back towards the mountains.

Another soldier took charge, "Calm down men. It's just a trick…they're trying to scare us." He stated as he looked around, but no more than five seconds later did the man spontaneously burst into scorching flames.

"Help me!" He screamed horrifically as his skin reddened and swelled, and cast his body off the bridge into the sea below.

Now, every soldier was petrified, and just as quickly did another twelve of the men unexplainably catch fire. Most did the same and jumped into the water, while some didn't make it, and their burning carcasses remained on the bridge.

"Retreat, RETREAT!" Another soldier yelled and led the remaining soldiers toward the tunnel they came from. Before they could make it, a swirling pool of fire originated just before it. "What in Hyne's name is going on?" the soldier said, pointing his gun at the fire. One man built up enough courage to try and jump across, but as he leapt, a pillar of fire shot up, atomizing the man. The soldiers, although scared, inched closer to the pit. After a few steps, they looked in, seeing only eerie flames that had come from nowhere. Suddenly, a gigantic brown claw shot from the pit, and then a second. The soldiers froze in fear as the hellspawn guardian force known as Ifrit pulled himself from the pit. Black smoke shot from its nostrils and its curled horns steamed with searing heat.

Even in the face of the supreme being, the soldiers could not move, fear and astonishment lapsing their better judgment. One soldier, who finally snapped out of the trance, raised his gun, "Fire, you idiots!" he yelled, as he started firing. Most of the men followed, but a few ran and dived into the sea below in absolute dread. As the group of fifteen or so remaining militia sprayed bullets at Ifrit, he swatted them away, the bullets more bothersome than harmful. Ifrit retaliated after a moment, walking forward and taking four of the soldiers out with one devastating clout, sending three of them flying in through the air, and ones body skittered the length of the bridge like a stone across a pond.

The G-Army infantry backed away as Ifrit plodded forward. Once about fifteen yards away, one of the soldiers grabbed a grenade, pulling the pin with his teeth. "Take this you bastard!" he shouted as he raised his arm to throw. However, before he could to so, Ifrit growled loudly, in effect, somehow causing the grenade to detonate and mutilate half the man's body, and injure a few others. The remaining men smartly began to withdraw, realizing they were no match for the mysterious beast.

Sadly for them, the Guardian Force they were dealing with wasn't the merciful type. As they ran, Ifrit ripped a sizable portion of rock from the mountain wall beside it, and with his magical abilities, set it ablaze. With both hands, Ifrit tossed it forcefully at the soldiers, two of which managed to jump off the bridge, but the remaining soldiers were killed and disremembered completely as the fiery rock exploded upon contact. With the immediate threat gone, Ifrit's job was done.

As the three reappeared from Ifrit's wall of protection, the GF's destruction was evident as maimed bodies and burning debris laid scattered over the bridge. Seifer leaned over, picking up Squall's gunblade that was lying on the ground, and shook his head, "Geez Zell, great work! You could've gotten us killed chicken-shit!" he demanded, burying the tip of the Revolver into the surface of the bridge.

Zell was outraged and took a step towards Seifer pointing out in the open where the battle just ended, "Killed? I saved our asses!" Zell replied.

"Please, I had everything under control. And, like always, you had to fuck it up." Seifer explained calmly as he turned around. Zell was about to say something before Seifer jumped in yet again, "C'mon, lets keep moving!" he said as he hurried forth, careful not to trip on any of the rubble in the path. Zell bit his lip, and followed Squall as he moved out behind Seifer.

**

* * *

**

"HQ, this is Alpha-Echo…come in HQ…" the squad C captain spoke into his radio as the other cadets of the squad investigated the central square. They had been assisting Dollet troops on the beach, but were tasked with delivering the withdraw order to the Bravo team, who were supposed to be holding down the central square.

"This is HQ, go ahead." Xu, who was standing by with Quistis in the squad B vessel, answered the call.

"HQ, we just arrived in the town square to update the Bravo team, but they are nowhere in the area." The male cadet informed her as he continued to look around with the rest of his squad.

Xu impatiently shot to her feet, "What do you mean? Where the hell are they?" she asked.

"I don't know. We looked everywhere." He replied on the other end. "Who is the squad captain for the Bravo team?"

"Stand by…" Xu told him, as she flipped the switch to activate the tracking devices that were implanted into each squad leaders armband. A moment later, the signal was released and displayed the location of each squad leader. Squad B had apparently abandoned their post and were nearing the bridge, which Xu knew was extremely dangerous.

"Seifer…damn it!" she cussed, knowing she should've kept a closer eye on him after his two previous exams.

"Excuse me?" the squad leader asked on the other end.

Xu forgot about her frustrations and replied, knowing she needed to inform them at all costs. "Nothing…look, they aren't in the area. They are currently heading up the mountain, towards St. Luther Bridge."

"So how do we get the message to them?"

"Squad Captain McKinney, it is integral that we get the withdraw order to them. Send a member of your squad to find them and give them the message. Just tell whoever you send to be careful." She ordered

"Ten-four." The squad C captain replied. Xu rubbed her eyes, as she watched Seifer's signal advance closer towards the mountain. She knew prior to the exam that Seifer needed additional supervision, but felt that maybe he would get tired of failing exams and straighten up. Obviously, that was not the case, and Seifer had once again disobeyed a direct order.

The two previous exams should've been a foreteller of what was coming. His first mission took place on the tropical paradise island of Costa Del Sol, three hundred miles south of Galbadia. He and a group of cadets were tasked with getting rid of a group of radicals that were causing trouble for tourists of the island. It was supposed to be a simple mission of detaining the members and turning them over to local authorities. Unfortunately, Seifer found them first, and beat a few of them within an inch of their life. The second mission, he and his group were to rid of the abundance of fiends in Cadoan, a city in northwest Trabia. The SeeD's were responsible for taking care of the more powerful fiends, and the cadets were responsible for the weaker ones. Seifer apparently hadn't felt challenged by the Bite bugs and Glacial Eyes, and took it upon himself to attack a ferocious Snow Lion, which were challenging to even a group of well-trained SeeD's. He had almost gotten himself as well as a few civilians killed, and was failed on that account.

_In this case, the third time wasn't a charm._

Quistis, who had just returned from a coffee break, walked back in with two styrofoam cups, "What's wrong Xu?" she asked as she took a seat in front of the active monitors, radios and tracking equipment.

"Seifer…" she said with a sigh as she took a cup from Quistis, "…he's at it again."

**

* * *

**Beyond the bridge was another dirt trail that led up the side of the mountain. Squad B quickly made their way up, not paying any attention to the gunfire and explosions in the distance. They kept their pace, not slowing down for anything. Off the side of the hilly terrain, the top of the sun could be seen behind the horizon, where purple, pink and blue all met in one harmonic spectrum. 

As they moved onwards, a painful moan was heard from further up the path. "What the hell was that?" Zell asked as Seifer and Squall pulled out their gunblades.

After carefully venturing a bit further up the path, they came upon a corroding stairwell that led further up the mountain range. A few steps up, they discovered a soldier wearing an olive green Dollet uniform, pulling himself along the ground. The soldier noticed the sound of footsteps near him. Fearing they might be Galbadian sentries, he pulled out a handgun, and pointed it at the group.

"Who…who the hell are you?" the man asked in fear. They didn't appear to be G-Army, but he wasn't going to take any chances.

Squall raised his hand to calm the man, and slowly walked towards him. "Don't worry, we're SeeD candidates. We've been dispatched by Balamb Garden to assist you in battle." Squall explained reassuringly.

Seifer walked up to the soldier, seemingly more cared about his own goals than the mans well being, "So what's been going on here?" Seifer asked, tugging on the inline his jacket.

The soldier was breathing hard and shivering, obviously in a lot of pain, "The Galbadian soldiers…they forcefully entered the Communications Tower."

Squall appeared bewildered at the notion, _"The __Dollet __Communication __Tower__, but why?" _he thought to himself. The tower used to be the worlds main frequency for broadcasting worldwide events. The worldwide signal interference started eighteen years prior, shortly after the end of the Sorceress War. The interference inconvenienced not only Galbadia, but also the entire northern hemisphere. The cause of the interference had never been released to the general public, and it had been so long, that people finally stopped asking questions. Rumors were that it had something to do with Esthar and a top-secret space center that was scrambling satellite signals, but it was all merely speculation.

_So why after all this time was the G-Army so interested in it?_

After putting some thought into it, Squall observed the soldiers calf, which was soaked in blood. "You're hurt?"

The soldier looked down at his leg, "Oh that, I'll be fine, just a scratch." The soldier continued, "This whole mountain range is off limits, since it's become a nesting ground for fiends. If you guys are going up there, be caref…." the soldier explained before he felt something odd slither near his leg. He looked back, and screamed in horror. The group watched as the soldier was being dragged away by an unknown force.

"Help!" the man screamed.

The three darted forth and turned the corner into what look like a wide-open, abandoned campsite, they were caught off guard as they saw what had pulled the man away. It was a creature they had seen before, but never had to battle with, an Anacondaur. The slithery serpent was about twenty feet in length, with a huge, flat head and a sharp tail. The slick fiend hissed, and tossed the Dollet soldier into the high weeds. It slithered up quickly towards the group, and took a swipe, its razor sharp tail barely missing Squall and Seifer as they leaped over it.

Seifer stood up quickly after dodging the attack, "You bastard, I'm gonna make mince meat outta you." he said as he ran and thrust his blade at the monster, missing it as it sneakily arched out of the way. The fiend raised its large head and slammed the bottom of its jaw fiercely on Seifer's back, causing him to drop to the dirty ground. As the beast slowly lowered its head, looking to devour the injured Seifer, Zell ran in quickly, meeting the huge reptiles jaw with a swift right uppercut, while Squall continuously drew from the beast, replenishing his magical energy.

Zell pulled Seifer out from underneath the beast, and sat him down out of harms way, "That's twice now jerk-off." Zell said under his voice, not loud enough for anyone to hear. Zell turned around to see the reptile lunging at him, and with a quick strike of its head sunk its sharp teeth into Zell's ribcage. He elbowed the top of the beasts head several times to get free, and jumped away clenching his side. The wounds began to flare up; the Anacondaur's poison had already begun having an adverse affect.

Squall cast a quick blizzard spell on the Anacondaur and ran forward, ducking the tail barely as it retaliated. He sliced upwards with his blade, slicing a cut on the monsters slick green posterior. Squall jumped backwards and dodged the charging head of the beast. He cast a sleep spell forward unsuccessfully, and was sliced in the arm with the reptile's razor-like tail. Thankfully the cut did not go very deep, and did not slash any arteries. Squall jumped out of the way and quickly downed a potion.

The Anacondaur began to approach Squall again, intending to make the kill. Zell quickly shot over and kicked the beast in the side, sending it slithering the other direction. Zell fell to the ground wearily, as if he just slammed into a wall. Squall noticed Zell's weakened condition and continued the attack he started. He made two quick attacks, a right and left horizontal slash, both cleaving gashes but not enough to kill the vigorous monster. Once again he was blindsided by the creature, struck squarely on his head by its jaw. The monster wrapped its long body around Squall, squeezing him and hissing, preparing to devour its prey. Squall stared into the widened maw of the fiend, struggling to free his arms. Quezacotl's lack of strength really put him at a disadvantage, and his muscles alone were no match for the fiend.

"Hey!" Seifer yelled in a weak voice struggling to get to his feet. The reptile swung around quickly, "Yeah, you! It's time to die!" he said as a beacon of light began to shine around him. His rage fueled his GF's power that had empowered him. His eyes shot open with a yellow tint, and cast forth a powerful fire spell upon the beast, which charred the upper half of its body. He began spiraling around the creature with his blade at an imperceptible speed, almost tornado-like, tearing multiple lacerations in the reptiles hide. Upon finishing his unique attack, he fell back to a knee, out of breath and scarce on energy.

The Anacondaur lied on the ground, hissing loudly as it lied flat on its stomach, clinging to life. Squall made his way over to the defenseless fiend, raised his gunblade high in the air, and drove the blade down hard, straight through the cranium of the fiend. After collecting some scales and teeth from the Anacondaur, he made his way over to his injured cohorts. After attending to himself and the poisoned Zell, he quickly ran over to Seifer.

"Are you okay?" he asked, surprisingly concerned and agitated at the same time.

Seifer chugged a potion, threw the capsule on the ground, and slowly stood up, "I'm fine, just a broken back." he joked, stretching his aching joints after the injurious blow he sustained.

Squall walked back over towards the hiding Dollet soldier, and then up to the top of the summit, "Monsters, huh?" he said, still trying to catch his breath after the strenuous battle.

The soldier nodded, "Yeah, it has been abandoned for so long, some fiends have even made nests atop the tower."

Zell nodded, "That sucks." he said wiping the dripping sweat from his forehead.

"More fun for us." Seifer remarked as he walked by, "Come on."

Zell looked at Squall who just shrugged, and followed Seifer up the trail. Zell scratched the back of his head, "Fun? Yeah right." he said and ran to catch up with them.

The three continued onward, further up the staircase for five more minutes, before hearing rough voices in the distance. They slouched and scooted up to the base of the cliff at the top of the staircase. Zell quickly took a knee, as Squall and Seifer huddled on the ground, creeping towards the rock face to see what was transpiring. They noticed that they had finally reached the Communication Tower, the spire structure even more massive than it seemed from afar. They spotted two soldiers conspiring, followed by another soldier who made his way out of the mechanical entrance to the tower.

"The generator is up and running." the exhausted looking soldier who walked out of the tower commented. "No problems with the boosters." he finished with a yawn and a stretch.

Seifer took an agitated breath as he lied sprawled down on the dirt path, soiling his long, gray coat, "…the hell they doin'?" Seifer muttered unclearly under his breath.

One of the soldiers threw his half-finished cigarette on the ground, and stepped on it, "Cable disconnection confirmed! Beginning exchange progress!" he said insipidly into the radio device on his collar, as he walked toward the entrance of the tower.

"Roger." the soldier on the other end of the radio answered as the three men entered the tower.

"Are they doing repairs?" Squall questioned. He couldn't decipher what exactly the G-Army's objective was, but it seemed whatever it was, Balamb Garden wasn't aware of it. Repairs was the only answer, seeing as they disabled the cable lines, most likely so they could test all frequencies, including those that used HD cables.

"Who cares?" Seifer said standing up and dusting his coat off. "So you finally popped your cherry…how'd it feel?" he asked Squall, referring to his first kill.

"…I don't know. I try not to think about it. Killing humans isn't like killing monsters." Squall answered the only way he could think of.

"You figured that out, huh?" Seifer inquired and smirked, staring off past the tower into the shimmering ocean, gleaming with the last signs of day. "I love battles, I fear nothing. Once the initial shock wears off, it'll become second nature." Seifer admitted, not convincing Squall in the least. "The way I look at it, as long as you make it out of battle alive, you're one step closer to fulfilling your dream." Seifer said raising his arms high in the air.

"What…your dream?" Squall asked, looking for Seifer to enlighten him.

Seifer shook his head, putting his arms at his waist, "You have one too, don't you?" he asked.

Squall finally realized what Seifer meant, but was still not clear of what he was referring to. Squall had dreams, but they all quickly faded away in a vortex of pain and confusion. "…Sorry, but I'm gonna pass on that subject."

Zell had just been listening to Squall and Seifer go back and forth. He became interested however in what was going on in Squall's mind, and like his inquiring self "Yo, let me in on it too!" Zell said excitedly, walking up next to Squall. He said nothing, and instead took a few steps away from Zell, trying to avoid the topic. Zell smiled and tapped Squall on the chest with the back off his hand, "My dream is to one day…"

"No one cares, mind your god-damn business!" Seifer snapped at Zell.

"You arrogant prick!" Zell cringed, swinging a flurry of quick punches in the air. It was a sight all too common when Seifer and Zell were near each other. Seifer makes an unnecessary comment, and Zell overreacts.

Seifer started to chuckle as he watched Zell's tantrum, "What's the matter Zell? Swatting flies?" he added as he continued laughing.

Squall shook his head, _"Gimme a break, these two are no better than children." _he thought to himself as he rubbed his forehead with his hand.

Seifer just continued laughing and trailed off to the side, leaving Zell in his own world of rage, "Damn you…" he yelled at Seifer before a voice interrupted him.

"There you are!" the voice said cheerfully. Squall drew his weapon attentively as he turned around, the voice sounding a bit familiar to him. He turned to see a short young woman dressed in the SeeD cadet uniform, stumbling over the rocks on the side, and falling to her knees. Squall stepped forward, but didn't say a word as she pushed herself to her feet. Squall noticed the short female cadet immediately. It had been the same one who had bumped into him earlier in the day and asked him for a tour.

Squall shook his head, _"__She seems somewhat clumsy. Doesn't strike me as a soldier" _he thought once again as he continued looking at her along with Zell. "Are you alright?" Squall asked.

"There!" she said dusting herself off. "Are you guys…Squad B?" she asked optimistically, with a gleam of hope in her eyes. Squall looked at her puzzled, wondering what her business was. He nodded with a hint of suspicion in his glare. "I'm…a messenger. Names Selphie Tilmitt, from Squad C." she introduced herself as she looked around, "I was told the squad leader was…Seifer Almasy, right? Where is he?" she asked.

A subdued expression swept across Squall's face as he turned around to see Seifer, not standing in front of him, but down below running off toward the tower. _"Damn it Seifer, you and your damn ego trying to take over again!" _Squall thought.

Seifer stopped as he approached the doors of towering superstructure. "One of these days, I'm gonna tell you about my _romantic_ dream!" Seifer yelled boisterously, before unsheathing Hyperion and running inside the Comm Tower. Squall took a quick step forward as he watched Seifer enter the tower, alone. He opened his mouth to yell, but all that came out was an elongated gasp, a small sign of Squall's impatience with Seifer and his antics.

"This sure is tough." Selphie said with a grin, as she slowly walked closer to the edge of the precipice. "Captain, wait up!" she yelled loudly. With no warning she made a leap, causing Zell's mouth to open wide. He walked over in amazement as he watched the female cadet landed squarely on her feet. Squall was amazed at the fact she hadn't rolled down the cliff, no doubt from the help of a nimble Guardian Force.

After situating herself, she looked back up at Squall and Zell, "What are you waiting for? Come on, come on!"

Squall holstered his gunblade as he took a second look at the jump. Zell looked at Squall in disarray at the fact that he was even considering it, "Squall…You're not gonna…" he asked hesitatingly, peaking at the plunge that Selphie took and then looking back at Squall. "It's a cliff man! You're gonna jump off?" he asked in a panic. Zell was an enigma, he always seemed to be the first one to want some action or do something wild and dangerous, but when it came down to it he was pretty cautious, and didn't usually take superfluous risks.

Squall once again took another quick look at the leap at hand. He figured even though Selphie landed without injuring herself, it didn't mean that they would land smoothly. An injury would only slow the group down, thus preventing them from becoming SeeD's. "That probably wouldn't be the best idea. Let's go." he said as he trotted quickly up the path with Zell. The trail winded around a jagged monolith attached to the mountain before descending to the bottom.

Upon arrival they were greeted by a baffled looking Selphie, "What took you so long? It would've been much quicker if you'd just jumped." she commented.

Zell placed his hands on his hips as he glanced to the top of the cliff, "…Much quicker…sure, but you normally wouldn't jump off a cliff, okay?" Zell replied. He looked over at Squall for his insight, "Ain't that right Squall?"

"Yeah, I guess so. You wouldn't normally jump that." Squall responded, trying to end the irrelevant discussion.

"Hmm, I don't know. Well, anyway…let's get goin'." she said as she walked on ahead, heading towards the entrance of the Comm Tower.

The three looked high into the air, marveling at the immense structure that appeared to touch the sky. Zell shook his head in amazement, squinting to see the top of the structure. "So this is the Communication Tower?" he said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Sure is big." Selphie added as she looked over at Zell, who nodded in concurrence.

Suddenly, a few rampant voices were heard just inside the entrance, and were getting louder as they approached the entrance. Squall rested a gloved hand on the hilt of his blade, while Zell and Selphie stood in a battle ready position. As the mechanical doors of the tower slid open, three unarmed G-Army soldiers stampeded out, passing right by Squall and his comrades. Squall watched as they ran off, not bothering to kill anyone who wasn't trying to do the same to him.

"Cowards!" a challenging voice shouted. The group turned around to see an irate Seifer pointing his blade at the fleeing soldiers.

"Hey!" Selphie called to Seifer, as he gave her a slight glance and reentered the tower without a word. Selphie looked back at Squall, who was again staring off into the horizon, which was darkening more each moment. "The captain's getting away!"

Squall blinked and stretched his arms, _"Good, let him go! He's just gonna get us in trouble." _Squall thought to himself. He took a deep breath and walked forward. Selphie and Zell followed close behind as he entered the Communications Tower.

As the heavy steel doors slid open, Squall slowly crept his way inside the tower. He looked around impatiently, his gunblade leading the way in case something or someone decided to surprise them. Zell walked out from behind Squall, examining the expanse room with the high ceiling. Heavy bangs and shrill clanks emerged from above. The tower was showing its age and lack of upkeep, as rust blanketed the walls and the putrid scent of mold and rat droppings filled the room like a gas chamber. To the immediate left Squall noticed a panel, which controlled an old lift.

"Did he go up?" Squall asked, exhausted and growing tiresome of babysitting his complex counterpart.

Selphie made her way up to the front, looking as if she was aiding in the search. After a few moments of searching, Selphie took a deep breath, "Hey, Squad B captain!" she shouted, her voice echoing to all the corners of the room.

Zell shook his head, "So much for a sneak attack." Zell commented, and looked over to Squall, who simply groaned and stared at Selphie. She shrugged with an apologetic look, until sound an opening metal hatch caught the group's ears. Seconds later, three Galbadian soldiers that had been working on the cables beneath the tower arose and confronted them. Two of the men wore the standard issue blue uniforms, and one wore a red officer battle uniform.

The G-Army officer walked toward them, the other two following behind, "And what do you kids think you're doing? Isn't it past your bedtimes?" He said as him and the other soldiers snickered at squad B.

Squall was really getting tired of being besmirched by the cocky G-Army soldiers. Although it was an advantage that the soldiers weren't taking them seriously, it was a bit demoralizing. "If you step aside now, we won't have to resort to violence." Squall stated, just as the two soldiers in the back to raised their weapons at the group.

The leader laughed yet again, putting up his hand to hold his troops from firing, "You guys are SeeD's from Balamb, aren't ya? You guys are always getting in between the president and his goals."

Squall shrugged, "We do what we're paid to do, just like you."

"Yeah, maybe if your beloved president wasn't a lunatic, we wouldn't have to always get involved." Zell insulted, much to Squall's dismay.

"You dare slander the president's name? Give me one good reason I shouldn't have these two unload a mirage off bullets on ya?" the soldier inquired.

The group stood still, knowing any movement could be their death. Their GF's would do little to protect them at that range, seeing as they weren't all that powerful. Squall knew he had to do something though, and it was crucial that it was done with speed. Quezacotl offered awesome speed to its master, and Squall once again focused. He could fill the Guardian Force empower his body, and could feel major speed and small strength enhancement in his body.

Quickly, Squall pulled out his gunblade and started towards the officer standing about seven feet away. Before the officer could fire his arm-mounted gun, Squall grabbed the arm and pointed it upward as the soldier fired, striking the ceiling with a barrage of bullets. The other two soldiers directed their attention towards Squall, giving Selphie and Zell a chance to find cover. As the two soldiers prepared to fire their rifles, Squall pulled the officer in front of him and used him as a shield, as both fired multiple rounds into the officer, which ripped through the armor and killed him.

After ceasing fire, Squall let the body go, but made it to the soldier on the right before the body hit the ground. His gunblade sliced up through the air as the soldier brought his gun around, the blade cut clean through the left bicep of the soldier. Blood spurted from the severed arm as the soldier stumbled in shock, with Squall jabbing his combat blade into a vital point just above the man's right hip, putting him out of his misery. Squall had done extensive study on the human body, and had a keen awareness of all pressure and forbidden vital points. He knew exactly where to put his blade, whether he wanted to deliver a slow, painful death, or an instant death; and because of this knowledge, he was exceptionally dangerous.

The second soldier desperately tried to quickly reload his gun, but by the time he was able to do so and get the gun up, he felt the cold blade of the Revolver resting against his neck. "Drop it!" Squall insisted. Slowly, the soldier let the rifle slip out of his hand until it dropped to the floor.

"You little fuckers are gonna die! No way you make it outta here alive!" the soldier spat. Squall pulled back as Zell and Selphie walked out from their cover.

"What is your objective here?" Squall asked, sheathing his gunblade.

"Go fuck yourself! I'm not tellin' you shit!"

Squall took a deep breath, "We don't want to hurt you. We just want to know why the G-Army is after the Comm Tower."

"There's a damn good reason…" the soldier stated in a gruff voice and smiled, "…but it's none of your damn business!" he yelled as a small handgun sprung out from his wrist, and he prepared to pull the trigger.

Selphie immediately spotted the gun and whipped forth with her nanchaku, shattering bones in the soldiers' hand, and causing the gun to hit the deck. In immense pain, the soldier still managed to grab his blade, but Zell rushed forth to engage combat. The soldier thrust forth with the blade, as Zell spun inside dodging it. He chopsticked the soldiers right elbow, snapping it instantly, and with one swift motion drove small bones from the soldier's nose into his brain with his palm.

With the soldiers disposed of, the group headed towards the lift, and boarded. As the lift ascended, Selphie peaked over the ledge, "Wow, this lift this pretty cool."

Zell chuckled and lightly nudged her, "Don't get too excited, or you'll fall!" he said jokingly.

Selphie shook her head with a smirk, "Like I'm really going to!" she answered as she grasped the handle tighter, seeming a bit afraid of heights. The lift slowly took them up to the top level, where they cautiously dismounted. The ring of clanking tools against rusted metal could be heard in the near distance, along with bright sparks that illuminated the nearby space. Through the steel floor rail, they could see the deep sea far below. Selphie swallowed tensely as she tiptoed along.

Peeking around the corner, they spotted two men dressed in G-Army uniforms. Both dressed in officer battle gear, but wore different ranks. Squall peaked around the corner, as Selphie and Zell ran to the other side and hid behind a stack of empty crates.

"Major Biggs!" The lower-ranking officer called. "There has been a report of fiend sightings on top of the tower!" Squall could barely hear what the soldier was saying through the loud racket. "Major Biggs!"

The Galbadian officer, Major Marvin Biggs, threw down a socket wrench and shot to his feet, "Shut the hell up! I'm tryin' to finish up!" he yelled, causing the other soldier to recoil a bit. He knelt back down, fiddling with a jumble of wires that were hanging loosely inside the mechanism. "This goes like this, and…GEEZ! What's with these shitty old tools?" he demanded as he threw an old wrench to the ground. "And…and…Why do I have to do all the repairs? I'm a veteran officer damn it! AHHH!"

The subordinate, 1st Lieutenant Stanton Wedge, took a step back, not wanting to further infuriate his superior, "Sir, I'll…check around while the repairs are being made." He said as he walked off slowly, his boss not bothering to acknowledge him.

Squall leaned against the orange metal beam in front of him. His muscles and joints were stricken . Although, he knew this was the life of a SeeD, and his obligation to Garden: to eliminate all who threatened Garden's mission, through good and bad, and thick and thin. His navy blue cadet uniform was crusted with the blood of his enemies. Enemies with no names; only horrified glares burned into his conscience. He was slowly, but surely growing more comfortable with the fact that killing was a necessity in his line of work.

As Squall focused himself, he disregarded his feelings as he often did and snapped back to reality. He noticed Zell giving him a worried look, pondering what may be going through his ever-racing mind. He then watched as the soldier continued what he was doing. The man talked to himself as he began to connect various wires to different inlets. He was reading from an old manual with dry, craggy pages, turning through it every once in awhile as he followed the step-by-step processes. It had not been a problem disconnecting the cable lines, it was ensuring that whatever they broadcast would not only be seen in Galbadia, but the entire world. Major Biggs was one of the best computer technicians in the G-Army, but satellites didn't quite work the same. He had a PDA connected to the mainframe of the satellite, as he continually attempted to set the frequencies. Problem was, there were thousands of frequencies, and encoding them and matching them up was extremely time consuming.

"There! It's complete!" he said as he stood up jubilantly. After two and a half days of rigorous repairs, the job was done, and the G-Army's apparent goal was accomplished. Biggs flipped a few switches and pulled down on the handle lever, thus activating the satellite.

Squall took a step forward as the tower began to shake savagely. He watched as a loose wrench teetered out of a leather toolbag towards the edge and fell, almost endlessly to water below. Various mechanisms such as remote panels and turbines began to function for the first time in nearly two decades, setting off an array of lights and gears. A large cylinder shaped object protruded up near where Squall stood, causing him to lose his footing. He looked up and watched as it transformed into a state-of-the-art satellite, one of Galbadia's most resourceful tools. He had read many articles in his earlier Garden years about that particular satellite, but it had been the first time he had ever seen it in person. The spectacle continued as the satellite dish began to illuminate, with a large beam projecting from the spined antennas in the center of the plate.

Selphie quickly tapped Squall on the shoulder, and pointed at Biggs, who was just marveling at the sight. Squall stepped forward, getting closer to the soldier, "What do you think you're doing?" Squall yelled over the noise, trying to get a clue as to what the reason was for the whole invasion.

"Huh…" Biggs turned around, completely off-guard, "Likewise, young man! What do you think you're doing?." Biggs expression changed as he slowly realized what was going on. He had heard on his radio that enemy forces were advancing towards the tower, but was surprised that anyone made it so far. He shook his head in anger, "Lieutenant Wedge, take care of these twerps!" he commanded. As Biggs looked around, he saw no sign of Wedge. "…W..Wedge?" he questioned frantically as he scoured the area. Squall, Selphie and Zell just stood on, looking on at the flabbergasted soldier.

"I…uh…" Biggs choked out, breathing heavily with fear. "Well, ah…I seem to be done here, so I'll just be on my..." he said as the group began to corner him. Just before the group moved in close enough to grab him, Biggs raised his arm-gun, causing them to step back. Shaking nervously, he crept his way towards the elevator, not turning his back on the group for a second. "I'm leaving, move it! Move it!" He declared as he pressed the button to the lift.

To everyone's surprise, as the lift rose to the top of the tower, a young man by the name of Seifer Almasy arrived with it. As Biggs turned and saw the blonde cadet, he raised his arm-gun at the enemy. Seifer sliced across with Hyperion, severing the gun clean from mechanism it was attached to, keeping his gunblade steadily on Biggs. "Sorry to crash the party!" Seifer said in smug fashion, winding around and backhanding Biggs across his right cheek.

_"Typical Seifer, can't just come and help. He has to make his entrance known too." _Squall thought to himself as he unsheathed his blade.

"AHHH, are you CRAZY?" Biggs screamed at Seifer.

Seifer held the blade's point to Biggs neck, "Just shut up!" he demanded callously.

Seifer turned to speak to Squall as he kept blade focused on Biggs, "So what do we have here?"

"They finally got it to operate. Not sure why they went through all that trouble, though." Squall answered, looking back up to the dish.

"I guess they did it all for nothing…" Seifer said as he grinned menacingly at Biggs. "…cause I'm gonna bust this thing up good!"

Upon hearing Seifer's threat, Biggs batted his gunblade away, and dashed toward a ME-922 laser rifle he had brought for extra firepower. Upon reaching it, he took aim at Squad B, "Prepare for the worst!" As Biggs prepared to open fire, Squall and Selphie dived behind the base of the satellite, knowing full well the officer would not fire at them and risk damaging it. Zell took cover behind a stack of metal crates, waiting for an opportune moment to use his magic. Seifer disappeared without a trace.

Biggs kept his gun readied in case one of the cadets stepped into the clear. He was at a disadvantage since they could attack from either side, and he had no way of defending himself against their para-magic. He stepped backwards, looking back and forth to Zell's position and Squall's position. He continued backing up until he felt a presence as he bumped into someone, and quickly redirected his aim. He immediately noticed his subordinate, Lieutenant Wedge, with his arms raised.

"Whoa…Major, are you alright?" Wedge asked aloud, before spotting Zell peeking out from behind the crates. Wedge raised his HK assault rifle and pointed it towards Zell, who had again ducked behind the crates. "How'd the enemy get up here?" he asked.

"WEDGE!" Biggs screamed, careful not to lose sight of the enemy, "Where were you? Just wait till I prepare your evaluation report!" he yelled.

Wedge, who had just returned from a long bathroom break, cursed, "Should've stayed home." He said gloomily under his voice.

"You take the punk behind the crates. I'll take care of the others." Major Biggs said as they advanced on the cadets. They weren't aware of who exactly they were messing with, so they took the initiative and advanced. Biggs slowly eased his way over towards the base of the satellite, walking with his back against it. As he reached the end, he glanced around the corner with his gun, prepared to blast anything unusual that caught his eye. But, to his surprise, no one was there.

"Where the hell are you? Come out with your hands up, now!." He demanded, as he yelled for Wedge to back him up. Wedge made his way over, still keeping his eyes locked on Zell's location. He stood alertly beside Biggs, shifting his gun from side to side. They made their way around the rear of the satellite, searching for the cadets that seemed to have vanished.

In the midst of their investigation, Wedge felt the gentle breeze becoming progressively stronger, to the point where that plate above began to shake and rattle. Wedge looked through the sky, unnerved by the eerie silence. "Major…" he called out quietly, but received no response. He dismissed his sense of impending danger, and continued following Biggs as the rounded the satellite, still searching for the intruders. Yet again, the wind intensified, so strong that it created sound similar to a whistling fife. Wedge glanced to his side, spotting the heavy leather toolbag flying high in the air and over the side of the tower.

"Major, something isn't right." Watts informed Biggs again, fearfully.

Major Biggs became impatient at his subsidiary's continuous griping. "Shut up, Wedge! You're already in deep shit as it is!" he demanded, just as a mighty gust of wind whirled around them. "What the…" he yelled before his eyes trailed upwards, spotting a shadowing figure lurking over him as he began to fire frantically.

From the side of the tower, where Squall, Zell and Selphie regrouped, they could hear gunfire and screams on the other side, near the satellite. They cautiously but quickly made their way around the tower, weapons drawn and ready to battle. They arrived momentarily, surprised to find both of G-Army soldiers that had been pursuing them, lying on the ground, incapacitated. Major Biggs was lying face down on the steel flooring near the satelite, and Wedge was lying against the wall of the tower, out cold.

"What the hell happened here?" Zell asked as he walked over, nudging Watts' droopy form with his foot. Just then, a spiraling wind surrounded the group, as loose papers and objects swirled around them. Each covered and protected their faces, squinting their eyes as they scanned the area, trying to identify the source of the whirlwind. The wind stopped moments later, and the group looked around, only to be greeted by a creepy winged creature floating in the air before them.

Selphie jumped back, "That's what happened!" she screamed, pointing at the creature.

"What is that?" Squall curiously asked. He had seen and studied many fiends over the years, but this was the first time he had ever seen that particular fiend.

"I dunno, but it doesn't look too friendly!" Zell commented loudly as he put his fists up, even though they wouldn't make much difference in this battle.

Squall noticed that it seemed extremely belligerent as it soared back and forth, repeatedly threatening to attack them. The large fiend had purplish pigmented skin with dark red markings along its body, filmy red wings and huge deformed claws at the end of its long arms. Its face glowed with greenish-yellow eyes, with wavy red horns and a huge orange that stretched downward. It's body was curled, with a muscular frame and a cone-shaped stinger that extended from its torso.

"Our weapons aren't going to be very effective against this thing." Squall broke the silence after studying it "We need to attack with magic."

Zell smiled, "Alright, let's kill this ugly piece'a shit!" he yelled, focusing with Ifrit and quickly cast forward a thunder spell, which struck the fiend square on its head, causing it to let out a horrendous squeal. Squall grabbed an M-Stone piece from his pocket, feeling as the stones energy flowed into him. He then cast forward two fire spells, each spell striking one of the wings. They were enough to make the beast hover a bit lower, but not powerful enough to bring him to the ground.

The creature took to the offensive, darting in and attempting to sting Zell in the chest. Once within a few feet, Zell jumped up dodging the stinger, grabbing onto the cone-like tail and hanging on for dear life as flew around hysterically. Zell pulled himself up along the fiend's body, making it to the beast's midsection and began pounding its chest with punches. Selphie cast forth an array of spells at the fiend, careful not to hit Zell who was still attempting to chip away at it. Squall, on the other hand didn't want to risk hurting Zell, instead choosing to wait for a more conscientious means of assisting his comrade in peril.

The fiend shrieked with wrath as he whisked his tail around, in turn causing Zell to lose his gripping and fall to the ground next to Selphie. Another draft of spiraling wind was sent swirling towards them, and was enough to lift Selphie, Zell and Squall a good twenty feet in the air, and hurl them to the steel platform near the ledge. Selphie and Zell lied on ground in pain, as Squall hung on the edge, his hand grasped tightly around the rail, trying to fight the pain is his ribs. He looked down, seeing the ground in front of the communication tower, which would not be forgiving if he were to fall. He tried to pull himself, but to no avail.

After a moment, Zell noticed Squall clinging desperately on the edge. "Squall!" he yelled, as him and Selphie ran over, and each grabbed an arm, pulling him up to safety. All three were perched on the edge, and in their weakened state, a stiff breeze could've pushed them over, sending them a good twenty stories down to sure death.

The creature neared, all three on one or both knees, too weak at the moment to even take a potion. Zell attempted to stand and cast a spell, but the pain in his shot through him like a silver bullet as he raised his arm. After falling back to a knee, Zell coughed and spoke, "Looks like…this is it." He said bleakly as he looked back over the edge.

Squall, feeling nothing but numbness, felt a powerful jolt run through his body, as if he had just received a shot of super-powered adrenaline. He sprung to his feet, he's irises glowing with a yellowish tint. The feeling was familiar, the extreme power that had suddenly boosted his near lifeless body. He had reached a point of desperation, better known in SeeD terms as _Limit_. It was a point in which the Guardian Forces powers fused with strong human emotion, enabling a human to perform tasks far greater than they could ever do alone. These tasks were known, as _Limit Breaks_.

Squall had been practicing his Limit Break for many years, and was finally about to use it for the first time in the field. Squall shot forward, his gunblade raised in the air, swinging across as hard as he could, slashing its tail, cutting through the shell about halfway through. He continued hacking; the tail severing completely after about five slashes, as slimy green ooze spurted an dripped from it. Squall jumped, running up along the enemy's body into the air, swinging up to slice off the right wing, and down to take off the left one.

Squall and the fiend landed at about the same time, both in pain as the Quezacotl's power began to fade. With his last bit of energy, he staggered over, sinking the blade deep within the fiends chest, piercing its heart. The monster slowly began to degenerate, and within a few seconds, its remains were carried away into the sky in a cloud of green energy.

Squall immediately fell to the ground as the yellowish gleam began to fade. Selphie, who was also badly hurt, began to reach her Limit. Selphie's Limit Break was known as _Slot_, and she could perform numerous learned magic spells multiple times. She used her Limit to cast curative spells on the entire group, healing their injuries within a matter of moments.

After recovering, Zell and Selphie slowly walked over to Squall, "That was awesome, Squall!" Selphie boomed.

"Yeah man, that was kick ass!" Zell cheered, patting Squall on the back. Squall shrugged Zell off and rubbed his neck.

"I suppose that was alright." Seifer's familiar voice spoke as he walked out from the back, clapping sarcastically.

Squall leered at Seifer, "Yeah, and thanks for the help!"

"Hey, I had your back!"

"...Whatever."

Selphie then walked over to Seifer, tapping him on the shoulder, "Squad B captain?" she questioned. Seifer gave a nod and stared at her as she continued. "S'cuse me, I have new orders. All SeeD member's and SeeD candidates are to withdraw at 1900 hours! Assemble at the shore."

Seifer eyes opened wide, as a discontented glare covered his face, "Withdraw? There are still enemies around!" Seifer demanded.

Selphie took a step back, "I know. I'm just a messenger, though."

Squall walked to the center of attention, and looked at Seifer, "An order to withdraw takes priority. I don't want to miss the vessel."

Seifer reluctantly agreed and nodded his head, and then turned to Selphie. "What time d'you say?" Selphie sighed and repeated the message. Seifer looked at his watch, "1828…we only have half an hour." Seifer said as he walked past the group and stood on the elevator. "You have thirty minutes to get to the shore. Better run!" he said as he hit the button and the lift lowered to the first floor.

The three ran towards the shaft and looked down, "Hey, wait for us!" Selphie yelled. Seifer smiled as he reached the bottom, and waived up to them, before running off.

As the lift began its ascent to the top, Zell stomped the ground, "Who the hell does that dick think he is?"

Squall shrugged, "Why don't you ask him?" he suggested as he stood on the lift which had finally returned. "Let's get going."

**

* * *

**Moments after the lift descended, Biggs regained consciousness and began to search for the intruders. Looking over, he noticed Lieutenant Wedge slumped against the wall, last remembering the mammoth creature that confronted and attacked them. He ran towards the ledge, watching as the tall blonde in the long trench coat beginning to make his way back down the mountain. He reached a painful arm onto his belt, pulling off a cracked remote, and pushed a combination of buttons. "Let's see how those little pricks like this!" he demanded as he fell back to the ground in a weary mess. 

From beside him, a serious of beeps sounded off as a machine activated, and began slipping out from underneath the heavy green cover that was concealing it. The huge metal contraption gradually began to function, as its computer, mechanism and weapons went online. As soon as everything was operable, it trounced towards the edge, looking for its targets.

**

* * *

**Upon arriving on the lower level, the group began to run towards the door. Just before the exit, Zell noticed what looked to be a G-Army soldier leaning against the wall, motionless. He slowly made his way over thinking it may have just been a ploy, with his fist cocked in case he needed to defend himself. As he walked up, he forcefully spun the man around, the blood soaked gash just above his collar and horrifying glare caused Zell to jump back. 

"I guess he met Seifer." Zell stated, pushing the lifeless body to the ground.

"It doesn't matter, come on." Squall said, walking through the sliding doors, followed by Zell and Selphie. Exiting the tower, Squall surveyed the region. It would be evening soon, and it was imperative they made it back to the vessel before departure. "Well, no sign of Seifer." Squall commented, knowing Seifer was well ahead of them, only thinking of himself, as usual.

Zell sighed, "No sweat dude! Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll…" Zell began jesting before hearing the sound of shuddering steel thuds above him. "What the hell is that?" Zell shouted as he pointed up at the location they just left, high atop the tower. The dwindling daylight silhouetted a mammoth object, but it was too far to decipher exactly what it was. The metal platform high above wobbled as the object approached the edge.

Squall pulled out his gunblade and jumped back, "I think we're about to find out." He stated. The object leapt off the platform, sailing down like a nuclear bomb. The object landed on its four mechanical legs, shaking the ground with a shuddering thud, its pincers piercing the earth's crust. Its gray and black, adamantine plated armor protected the generators and programming devices that powered the robot. Several red and blue sensors lit up around the contraption, including two large red sensors in front, the sidled right to left continuously inside a vent-like shaft.

"What…is it?" Selphie questioned in fear, pulling out her nunchaku, which would be useless against such an enemy.

Zell took a closer look at it, "Shit, that's an 'X' weapon…a '_Black Widow_'. An ass kicking, black-market weapon!"

Squall stepped backwards slowly with Zell and Selphie, looking for any weakness on the robot he could exploit. He glanced over at Zell, "How do you know?"

"Read it in 'Modern War' magazine. 'X' weapons are the most in-demand, black market killing machines. I always wanted to see one, but not like this!" he shouted as the huge metal death-robot stomped forward.

"It didn't happen to say how to kill it, huh?" Selphie asked, almost with a stutter. It was no surprise that the G-Army were using weapons that were banned by the World Council. President Deling was not fond of losing, and would use whatever means necessary to get what he wanted. He cared for no one but himself. It was rumored that he had his brother killed so that he could assume the role of president, and such a rumor wasn't hard to believe when it had to do with Vinzer Deling, the rottenest son-of-a-bitch in all of Galbadia. And the fact that he was president of one, if not the most prosperous country in the world, meant he could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted.

Squall stopped moving back and stood his ground. His eyes wondered for a moment, again searching for Seifer, who was nowhere in sight. First on top of the Comm Tower, and now facing an indestructible enemy, Seifer had abandoned the squad he was supposedly the captain of. He dismissed his anger for Seifer for the moment and looked back at the robotic contraption. It was obvious mere melee weapons could not harm the machine, and he figured their best chance was to disrupt is computing mechanisms.

"SeeD battle position, Zulu-22." He called out as him and Selphie to designated positions, as Zell watched, rubbing his head.

"Huh?" he asked, confused.

Squall rolled his eyes, keen to the fact Zell had not studied up much on SeeD tactics. "Just start hitting it with lightning!" he shouted.

Zell pumped his elbow, "Got ya!" he replied. All three began to cast multiple thunder spells at the robot, but it did little to nothing as it trudged forth. Each continued casting, but having no effect. Finally, the 'X' weapon took to offense, as a small chamber opened, revealing a minuscule cannon. The eye of the weapon was shining a bright yellow, and a homing beam zapped across the ground beneath the group, and Squall was blasted forward as the other two flew backwards.

Squall prepared to stand, but was immediately stopped as the machine plotted over top of him, its razor sharp, steel mandible pinchers clicking together, in preparation for an attack. Both pinchers rose high, as one came down, shortly followed by the next. As the pinchers swooned down in a stabbing motion, Squall rolled out of the way as they pierced the ground right next to him. The 'Black Widow' as it was known, continued its efforts to kill the target. Squall stopped rolling after reaching one of the machines support legs, watching as the pinchers stabbed down towards him, and with nowhere to go, he could do nothing but wait.

Squall closed his eyes as the sharp metal approached, but was surprised when they never touched him. He reopened his eyes to see Zell, utilizing Ifrit's great strength, holding the pinchers up over his head, but slowly losing the contest of strength with the machine, "Get outta there, this is friggin' heavy!" Zell screamed, knees buckling and arms shaking.

As Squall began to slide out from underneath, he notice a red hour-glassed shape device on the bottom of the machine. His knowledge reminded him of the anatomy of real black widows, who also had the distinctive mark. He thought it must serve a purpose if they went through the trouble, so he cast forward a thunder spell, sending an electric current through the robot.

Zell felt the force of his enemy relax as the creature pulled back, its pinchers moving rapidly and its sensors flickered as if they were malfunctioning. After a moment, it fell to the ground, motionless and soundless, "What did you do?" Zell asked, stretching his sore arms.

Squall shrugged and glanced at his watch, "I don't know, but we only have twenty-four minutes left. We need to get to the beach!" he demanded as he sprinted towards the trail the winded around the monolith. They were all becoming weary, for it had been a long day, even more on Squall's part since he also had battled Ifrit earlier that day. Still, he sprint forward at full speed, reminding himself it would soon be worth it.

They darted past the monolith, and were nearing the long granite staircase, Zell glanced to his right, off the cliff next to the Comm Tower. His mouth went agape as he noticed something, and began to look around frantically.

Squall noticed Zell had slowed his pace and was acting strangely. "What is it?" Squall asked.

"Where is it?" Zell asked, pointing down below. Squall looked to the bottom where they had destoryed the 'Black Widow', or at least, _thought_, they destroyed.

"What in holy hell?" Zell exclaimed as the steel monstrosity slid around the corner into the mountainside.. "I thought we busted that thing up already?"

What made the weapon so unique is that even if the main generators were disabled, it had multiple backup generators to recharge it, making it almost invincible. It had been designed to be practically indestructible, and even though they hadn't been approved for field use yet, there was no doubt they would legally one day find their way to the battlefields. The main concern of the DMW, or the Department of Modernized Warfare, was that it was designed by military scientists in Midgar, a country which had a reputation for fighting dirty and using nuclear threats to scare neighboring countries, so it would probably be years before the X-ATM092, Black Widows were approved for wartime use.

Squall shook his head, knowing it was just a waste of time trying to defeat it, "Just run!" he said the ran down the countless steps and down the brick path. The continued down the steps and through the portal, and proceeded cross the long bridge, lopping and hurdling the bodies and rubble Ifrit had left in his wake. Behind them, the robot squeezed through the portal, its metallic sides screeching as it scratched against the rocks. Once in the clearing it began to speed up to catch its target, ignoring Ifrit's damage and making quick ground. As the group came within twenty yards of the portal to the city, the machine hurdled high in the hair, overhead Squad B, and landed hard in front of them, just before the portal.

The group backed up, preparing for another battle, "Damn!" Zell said heatedly agitated at the robot.

Squall, knowing they needed to make quick work of the robot, again laid out the plan. "We need to hit the central system again." He stated, desperately thinking of a way to do so.

Zell nodded, "Leave it to me." He said as he dashed forward quickly, without warning. Without thought, Zell ducked and rolled, attempting to get beneath the machine and cast a thunder. The machines computer mainframe and artificial intelligence had studied the strategy of the cadets, and was aware they knew of its unarmored core. As Zell came to, he was promptly snatched up by the pinchers, the sharp edges cutting into his sides, drawing blood and lifting him in the air. The robot prepared to fry Zell with its ray cannon as it glowed bright yellow once again.

"Zell!" Squall yelled, quickly devising a plot to save his endangered comrade.

Squall remembered what Quistis had told him, and what he had learned for so many years at Garden. Never one to be open-minded, he knew he had no other choice if he wanted to save Zell. He opened his mind, letting any and all thoughts in his mind escape, letting Quezacotl take over. His eyes began to sparkle with his Guardian Force's spirit, as his mind and Quezacotl's became one. His hand quickly slid down to his lap where he slid out his combat knife, holding it in his hand. Electric currents flowed from his body to the blade, which gleamed blue with energy. Squall flipped the knife so that the blade was in his hand, and threw it forward with amazing precision, as it went underneath Zell's legs, and struck directly into the ray cannon that was about to annihilate Zell. The machine shook violently as the currents raced through its internal mechanisms. The ray cannon was now nonfunctional, and three of the backup generators had been rendered useless. The robot dropped Zell, and fell back to the ground, shaking.

Zell stood up, and studied his torn sides, which weren't much more than scratches. "Thanks man, I thought I was a goner." He stated, nodding thankfully at Squall.

Squall nodded back and again checked his watch. "Come on, we got fourteen minutes." He stated, as the three went around the downed enemy, and continued into the city. The group ran quickly through the empty streets of Dollet, which had declared martial law, and ordered all civilians to remain indoors until the conflict was resolved.

About a hundred yards ahead, Zell noticed the town square, which was not too far from the beach. "Almost there!" he jived as they speeded their jog. They finally reached the square, and headed toward the next street, but from behind, a metallic stomping could be heard, quickly approaching. The three stopped and looked around, very aware of what was happening.

Selphie looked back to the street behind them with wide eyes. "It can't be…" The 'Black Widow once again came into sight, not stomping the ground, but crawling along the stone buildings with its sharp pincers.

"How many damn lives does this thing got?" Zell demanded.

Squall looked down at his watch, seeing the time read 1853, a short seven minutes before departure, "We don't have time for this." Squall said, wanting to summon Quezacotl, but it would be too risky in such a small area. "I can't summon Quezacotl, my magical energy is diminished." He stated, scouring his pockets for a M-Stone piece, but realizing his pocket had ripped, and the stones had been lost.

Selphie became frantic, and backed up. "So what do we do?" she questioned just as the robot swung its leg at Zell, sending him flying back, landing on and breaking a wooden crate of oranges. It swung the other way, Squall jumped from the attack as Selphie ducked under it. Each desperately thought of a plan to put the machine down for good. It seemed as if they had done everything in their power, but hadn't succeeded. They were only cadets, which meant low-level para-magic and Guardian Forces in most instances, and if they needed the SeeD supports help at all, now was the time. They continued dodging the Black Widow's advances, still trying to think of a way to destroy it, but running shot on time and ideas. Suddenly, a bright stroke of light flashed from the rooftop of a nearby building. A shadowy figure stood out of view, only the waves of electric energy visible.

Zell looked up and then at Squall, "Did you summon…" he started, before Squall's denying head shake answered his question. They continued staring up; even the robot had its attention diverted to the roof of the building. The figure stepped slowly forward, revealing an old man with a long, white beard and bald head, with a loose green robe and blue hood, wearing a ridiculous amount of gold jewelry.

Zell shook his head, "Who…is that?" he asked unknowingly.

_"Ramah, god of thunder."_The Guardian Force spoke to the GF's each was carrying. Squall knew exactly who had possession of Ramah, and was a bit startled by it. Still, he welcomed the assistance.

With no long-range weapon, the Black Widow began its ascent, crawling on the side of the building towards Ramah. The lighting elemental lifted its hood over his head, cloaking his face. His eyes glowed blue as he raised his hands, bolts of lighting striking both of his hands and flowing through his body. As the mobile weapon reached the top, and prepared to strike the entity, Ramah blasted the spider-like machine with currents of electricity. The waves pulsated through it, destroying one generator after another as it hung in the air, held by the electricity. Finally, Ramah let his magical grip go, sending one final destructive bolt from the darkened sky. It struck the Black Widow, and sent it crashing into the flowing fountain below. It smoked and made some weird noises, not moving a bit. It appeared the contraption had finally been destroyed.

The three stood up from their cover and looked over at the destroyed machine. Realizing time was scarce; the group turned and was greeted from a voice on the rooftops. "Must I do everything? Get to the beach…five minutes." Seifer told them sardonically, and began racing across the roof above.

Zell grunted, "Ass!" he yelled to Seifer and began to run the final stretch towards the beach. Running through the narrow streets, Dollet citizens peaked out of windows and peepholes, trying to get any glimpse of action. Suddenly from the end of the street, the metal clanking of sharp pincers striking the cobblestone streets rang through the early evening air. The 'Black Widow' slid across the ground, slamming into a building, crushing the cement siding and breaking some windows. Smoke streamed from its vents from the damage it took, running on its final, and best-protected generator.

"Oh, come on!" Zell screamed, stomping his foot hard. It charged forth, its mechanical leg crushing a blue vintage car under it like a stale autumn leaf.

Squall looked at his watch, seeing just over two minutes remained. "Run!" he demanded with urgency in his voice. The vessels were visible through the underpass ahead, but whether they'd get there in time was another story.

**

* * *

**

Quistis stood on the beach, looking at her watch and breathing heavily as a fit of panic set in. They were nowhere in sight, and they didn't have much time left. From behind her, Quistis heard as SeeD General Martz spoke to her crudely, "Two minutes. We leave with _or_ without them." He stated and headed over to another vessel.

She turned around, the _'Creepers'_ for Squads A, C and D had been given the green light to evacuate, since their objectives were complete, and all their members had returned safely. As they departed, and the water swayed under the purple sky, Quistis bit her lip, "Where could they be?" she asked herself nervously, not even wanting to give a second notion to the thought they could've been killed.

The silence was broken by an approaching voice from behind, "They're coming, be patient." the voice which Quistis immediately identified as Seifer's reassured her. As much as she didn't like the mouth it was coming from, she was relieved to here they were alright.

She spun around, only seeing Seifer. "It's about time. Where is the rest of your squad?" she asked, still seeing no sign of them.

"They should arrive momentarily. They ran into some…trouble." He stated, walking past her and headed towards the vessel.

"And you left them?" she asked, not very surprised though.

Seifer shrugged, "I can't help it they can't keep up!" he stated smugly and turned around, the rail-gun mounted on top of the vessel catching his eye, "Does that gun turret work?" he asked Quistis, pointing at it.

Quistis eyes narrowed in bewilderment, "Of course, why?" she asked.

Seifer smirked and pointed his head towards the underpass, where Zell was finally seen, sprinting at full speed, followed by pounding steps in the distance, "…cause we're gonna need it." He stated, and casually strolled back to the ship. Quistis rolled her eyes at Seifer, and glanced back one final time as the sounds up ahead drew closer. Quistis knew something wasn't right and immediately headed on board to prepare for the worst.

**

* * *

**

Squall could see Zell and Selphie just ahead of him, even through his bleary eyes. The footsteps trampled loudly behind him, as he ran as fast as he could in his impaired condition. Usually he could just use Quezacotl's blazing speed to get there easily, but no magical energy remained, and his will to live was the only thing that kept him going.

He watched as Zell and Selphie leaped off the pier ahead onto the beach below. Glancing back, he could see the robot catching up quickly, chasing him perilously as it knocked into buildings, tearing off the pink neon _'Spice'_ sign, and thus causing sparks to fly every which way.

As he approached the ledge and prepared to jump, the mobile weapon forced its way through the narrow brick underpass, crushing the sides causing red brick and macadam to scatter everywhere. As he went into flight, his footing gave out, causing his body to lunge outward and made any chance of landing on his feet impossible. He instead did the next best thing, rolling in midair and landing on the cool sand on his back. While it did not help his broken ribs, and sent him into even more pain than he was already in, it was better than landing on his neck.

Attempting to stand up, Squall found it hard to catch his breath. Every joint in his body was in pain, as every movement from stretching his neck to wiggling his toe was torture. Finally getting to his feet, he fell back to a knee, seeing Selphie and Zell blurrily in the distance. He lowered his head, still gasping in painful breaths.

As the two continued running, Selphie looked back to see an injured Squall on the ground, practically motionless as the 'Black Widow' charged from behind, "…Squall!" she stopped and yelled. Zell halted, grabbing Selphie's arm and pulling her along. "We can't just leave him." She pleaded as Zell dragged her along.

"We have to board! Trust me, he'll make it!" he stated, sounding totally sure of what he said. His confident statement comforted her as she continued running again.

He heard Selphie's call in the distance, too weak to do much of anything, though. Struggling again to stand, he heard the slamming metal legs of the enemy. He looked up, the bright red sensors locked on him like a raging bull. Stepping forward off the ledge, it landed hard behind Squall. Its shocks had been damaged from previous attacks, thus causing its system to take damage as it fell. Squall grit his teeth, pulling up every last ounce of vigor and stamina he could to drive him forward. His left leg pushed him off as he began running faster than he ever did without the assistance of a GF. His long strides and quick trots seemed uncanny for any person in the shape he was in.

The Black Widow finally pushed its heavy metallic frame off the beach, as sand slid out of its vents and various crevasses. It dug its pincers into the ground and sprung forward, focused on its soul purpose of eliminating its target.

Squall strived on, the vessel now only about thirty yards ahead, and the Black Widow about twenty yards back, gaining rapidly. Even with the sand weighing down his boots, he charged ahead speedily, paying no attention to anything that could hold him back. Seconds later, he was about ten yards out, with his pursuer ten yards behind, but he watched as _'Creeper_' slowly began to slide off the beachfront.

He noticed Zell in the deployment hatch waving him forward with his arm, "Jump!" he screamed. Squall glanced back once more, seeing the shredding pinchers of the robot about to dice him like a smoked sturgeon. Squall took his fellow cadets advice and sprung forward as the blood burned and pumped his exhausted legs. In flight, he caught glimpse of the gun post above, and a familiar blonde hair instructor taking aim on the nearly imperishable scavenger.

Blasting shots rang through the air as they fired toward the armored robot. Its shells only slowing down the machine at first, as it continued to strike down on Squall, who was hanging on the cargo hatch, his legs dangling in the shallow water. Before it could deliver any type of attack, the high-powered projectiles pierced through the adamantine plates, striking delicate mechanisms inside. It began to lose functions, but its final generator and computing hardware were still intact. It sprawled up again, its legs and pincers scraping the side of the vessel. It pinchers widened as it neared Quistis, but as she started to fire into the vents, damaging the central processing unit and cutting off the artificial intelligence, the robot slid off the ship into the murky water below. Continued volley proved useful as it struck an emergency homing missile that malfunctioned, but still detonated after a few well-placed shots. Pulling away, the cargo hatch began to close, but not before the robotic Black Widow fulminated, and fiery metal clods of the robot floated on the dark water.

Zell ran helped Squall to his feet; just as the personification of cockiness spoke up, "Man, you look awful! Rough night?" the boisterous Seifer asked with a smirk leaning on his gunblade. Squall, who was too weak to say anything, watched as the young SeeD named Xu, spoke for him.

"Same old story Seifer, why am I not surprised?" she laughed lightly in a masked aggravation. "This is three times now I've had to put up with you, and trust me…there won't be a fourth!" she demanded and walked back to the cockpit. Seifer glared on with hostility in his eyes, and brashly punched the steel partition with his glove hand, in a very Zell-like manner. He looked at Squall, grunted, and walked back to the briefing room.

Zell then helped Squall into the briefing room, and gently sat him on the plush green seat, on the far side of Seifer. Zell knew Squall wouldn't want to talk at the time, and frankly, neither did he, so he decided just to leave with a few quick words.

"Glad you made it man." Zell stated kindly with a smile, and walked away. Squall was appreciative of Zell's help, but the only thing running through his mind, and his body, was pain. He rested his head back, never happier to be headed back home.

* * *

First and foremost, I wanted to clear something up in last chapter. There is a line Seifer uses before he kills a guy in last chapter. "Non timetis messor" is Latin, meaning "Dont fear the reaper" 

Okay, on with this chapter. I actually finished this Saturday, but just now got a chance to post it. Sorry, lots of stuff was going on. Really tired too, so sadly, Inside Look and Prodigy's Corner will be postponed until next chapter, which is still on pace to be relased on Friday.Until then...

Prodigy


	6. Chapter V: SeeDship

**Chapter V**

**_SeeDship_**

**_"Why did you kill me? Why?"_**

_"Huh…"_

**_"We all had families. Lives!"_**

**_"We were just doing what we were ordered to do. None of us wanted to die."_**

**_"But you…you killed all of us!"_**

_"No…that's not true!"_

**_"I'll never meet my newborn child, or touch my wife's face again…because of you!"_**

**_"I was only nineteen. I'll never get the chance to meet my soul-mate, or get drunk with my friends on my 21st birthday."_**

_"I…I was just doing my job."_

**_"You did…and you killed us..."_**

**_"All of us…"_**

* * *

"NOOOOOOOO!" he screamed in terror as the bloody corpses of fallen Galbadian soldiers invaded his dreams to create a horrifically vivid nightmare. His dreams were rarely pleasant, but he never recalled any of his dreams seeping into reality in the form of fear. His heart was pounding in his chest as hard as it was as he ran from the Black Widow in Dollet, and he gasped for air as if he had been under water for a few minutes.

As he tried to forget the tormenting images in his head, he turned to see his digital clock that read 10:17 in bright red numbers. He threw the sheets off his sweat-drenched body and sat on the side of his bed, running his hand through his messy bed-hair. He had gotten about twelve hours of sleep, and although his ribs were still sore, his wounds and broken fingers had completely healed as a result of the potion he took before he went to bed.

Squall stood up and prepped for the day, which was not just another day. Today, he would finally be a SeeD; _he knew it_. If there was one thing in the world that could get him excited, that would be it. He did all of his traditional morning tasks such as cleaning his room, exercising and eating breakfast. He finally got around to cleaning off his blood-caked gunblade. He usually found cleaning and adjusting his gunblade somewhat enjoyable, but this time it was anything but. He felt somewhat detached while cleaning it, looking off while scrubbing the blade, pretending as if it were mud. He didn't like falsifying the truth that this was the life of men he was washing from his blade, but it was the only way he could keep the previous day's hideous feelings at bay.

After dressing himself in a black t-shirt and military pressed, grey slacks, he made his way to library, eager to see if the new issue of Weapons Monthly had arrived, since it supposedly had a huge section on gunblade modifications. He walked inside the library, which was fairly busy with cadets studying for final exams, and towards the magazine section. He couldn't find it as he searched, but noticed another SeeD reading it at the table nearby. Squall cursed to himself and decided to return at a later time when the library wasn't as busy. As he turned, he noticed Quistis, Xu and surprisingly the usually absconded Headmaster standing by the corner bookshelf. He covered his face with his hand, trying to slip out unnoticed, but as always it was a lost cause as Quistis spotted him.

"Squall, over here!" She called out, smiling.

Squall stopped and closed his eyes, cursing her obvious '_Squall-radar'_. He walked over slowly, Quistis smiling at him the whole way, making him feel a bit tense. He walked up, catching the middle of Cid and Xu's ongoing conversation, " …but I am to assume yesterday's mission was a success. The candidates all returned safely, right?" Xu asked, as Quistis answered with a simple nod. Xu smiled at the relieving fact and continued, "Although we didn't realize Galbadia was after the abandoned communications tower."

"I received word from the Dollet Dukedom this morning," Headmaster Cid began to explain. "The Galbadian Army has agreed to withdraw their remaining forces from Dollet as long as the communication tower is repaired and the uplink remains operational."

Squall shifted his weight and crossed his arms. '_If that's all they wanted, why did they have to resort to such violence?'_ he thought.

Xu nodded "Well in any case, Galbadia is out of there," the short brunette attested, "But we could've made more money if they'd stayed and caused more ruckus."

"Chancellor Gaines was not happy, though. He said while the Dollet Dukedom was appreciative of SeeD's assistance, they were hoping for a more peaceful resolution." Cid explained.

"Peace is not always the answer, especially when you're dealing with Galbadia,." Xu responded.

"What did the duke have to say?" Quistis asked, curious to how Dollet's leader felt about the debacle.

"Duke Ardenboro is currently meeting with members of the World Council in Junon, and hasn't seen the aftermath. He has been trying tirelessly to restore Dollet's prestige and attract visitors and gain some more revenue. This was a major step backwards for them," Cid spoke remorsefully, "Just the clean up alone is set to cost in access of two hundred million gil, not to mention the cost to rebuild it all."

Xu then looked over at Squall who seemed less than amused, and smiled, "Hey, you did very well yesterday!" she complimented as she reached over an tapped him in an encouraging manner.

Quistis nodded, "Of course, he's my best student." Quistis told her as Xu and Heamaster Cid began to laugh. Squall just shot a tedious stare at both of them, and looked away.

"He's not very social, though," she finished, as Squall shifted his scowl towards Quistis, who had become immune to his cold glare over the years.

Cid took a few steps closer to Squall, and looked him up and down, "How did it feel…being out on the battlefield?"

_How did it feel?_ How was he supposed to answer the question he had no definite answer to? Did he want to know how it felt to take the life of another human being? Squall knew the answer to that question. In one word: _horrible_, but would not hesitate to kill gain if need be. He made that mistake once, it would not happen a second time. But, how did it feel being out there, with guns firing, bombs exploding and people dying? So many thoughts and emotions ran through him it was difficult to distinguish one from the other, especially when his main objective wasn't deciphering every damn thought that crossed his mind; it was living to see another day.

Squall stared at Cid, not answering him right away. '_What do you care?'_ he thought, but decided that giving a Seifer-like response would only get him in trouble. "It's kind of hard to explain."

Cid nodded, "I completely understand. Judging by the field reports though, you didn't have too much trouble," he said, giving Squall a wink. "Well, I'm just glad none of our SeeDs or cadets were killed," Squall stared at the Headmaster as he made that comment. Sure, all the SeeD's and cadets that were deployed to Dollet made it back, but that didnt dismiss the casualties suffered by the Dollet infantry or even the G-Army soldiers. Even if they were on the opposing side, they were still human, and many probably not much older than he was. Squall decided he had heard enough and tried to dismiss himself.

However, Quistis cut him off just as he began to walk away, "The results for the exam should be announced sometime this afternoon. Don't leave the premises," she told Squall, who just nodded and continued out of the library. He decided to head to his room and finish the book he was reading as he waited for the results, but before he could even turn down the hallway, the sound of his own name caught his attention.

"Leonhart!" an all too familiar voice called out. Squall raised his eyes at the sound of Seifer's voice. He looked at Seifer, who was leaning against the banister by a bench across from the library. The tall blonde shook his head in irate amusement, and walked over to Squall, "D'you hear about the communications tower in Dollet? We would've been heroes if it weren't for that damn withdraw order!" he demanded.

"What do you mean?" Squall questioned.

"We would've spoiled their whole operation! They were after the satellite the entire time, and these dipshits wouldn't have ever known that if it weren't for my quick thinking. Bet that would've pissed off old man Deling something awful."

It wasn't that so shocking hearing such an audacious answer from Seifer. "I guess." Squall replied in the simplest of ways.

Seifer grinded his teeth and stood with an enraged demeanor, "Bullshit; complete and udder bullshit, that's all it is!" he demanded, feeling as if someone had stolen his spotlight.

"You were only looking for a fight." Quistis voice cut in, as Seifer watched her walk out of the library and into the conversation, followed by Xu.

Seifer chuckled a bit, then gave Quistis a cocky grin, "My dear instructor, I'm hurt. Those are rather cruel words for an aspiring SeeD," his grin faded as he finished the sentence, leaving only a tumultuous expression on his face "A mediocre instructor like you would never understand," he deflated Quistis, who seemed a bit slighted by Seifer's comment.

Xu shook her head at Seifer's disparagement, followed by a sigh, "Seifer, don't be so stuck on yourself. You'll take all responsibility for abandoning your assigned post!" She explained sternly, Seifer not taking very kindly to it.

"Isn't it the captain's duty to take the best possible action?" he asked opening his arms waiting for an answer.

"Seifer, you'll never be a SeeD. NEVER! Calling yourself a 'captain' is a damn joke." Xu demanded, trying to put Seifer in his place. Seifer's eyes welled up with fury as he leered at Xu. Seifer was not one to take criticism lightly, much less an insult. He stared down at the ground, trying to control the fire she had just ignited inside of him. Noticing Seifer's expression, Xu made a timely exit just as the Headmaster arrived.

Squall glanced over, watching as Seifer shook with intense rage, "One day, she'll regret those words," he said quietly to Squall. His mind became obsessed with the notion that Seifer may react violently. It was commonplace to see Seifer irritated for one reason or another, but this time it seemed different. He looked into Seifer's eyes, which were lacking any ethics they previously carried. Cid dismissed Quistis, and slowly made his way up to Seifer. He seemed to be frustrated, and at the same time, concerned.

"Mr. Almasy…Seifer. You will be disciplined for your irresponsible behavior. You must follow orders **_exactly_**, during combat, but..." he strictly scolded, before stopping and taking a relaxing breath, "I'm not completely without sympathy for you. I would like you all to be able to think and act for yourselves. Even as SeeD's, you are still human, and prone to make mistakes." Squall knew that if there was one thing Seifer didn't want, was pity. He knew that Seifer was adamant about becoming a SeeD, no matter how he acted. Just as Cid was about to continue, he was cut off by one of the Garden faculty.

"Headmaster Cid, you have important business in your office," the faculty member informed him, and waited for the Headmaster to finish.

Cid focused his attention back on the mild-mannered Seifer, who was glancing off to the side, "There are so many issues at hand here..." he finished, giving Squall a nod and walking off.

Squall watched as Cid followed the faculty member down the hallway. The Garden Faculty had a knack ending meetings and conversations with the Headmaster abruptly. They followed Cid like a shadow, as if keeping tabs on his every move. But Cid must not have minded; he was the leader after all, and could tell them to fuck off if he wanted to. Squall didn't care, though. As far as he was concerned, that was Cid's problem, not his. Looking back at Seifer, Squall could see every vein in his forehead as he shook with a demented rage. He thought it best to not to say anything, seeing as words would only further infuriate him. He made his way to his room leaving Seifer to himself, and patiently awaited the results of the exam.

* * *

As the elevator doors slid open to the waiting area by his office on the third floor, Cid was greeted by a duo of faculty members, who stood up and bowed in respect. "Headmaster, good afternoon." The first faculty member spoke. The waiting area was pretty much Xu's office, and was filled with a wide assortment of furniture, bookshelves and paintings.

Cid bowed his head and gave a small smile, "Likewise. What is this about, may I ask?" he questioned, crossing his arms and tilting his head back a bit.

"We have two matters to discuss with you." One of the faculty replied.

"First, the Chief of SeeD operations and the SeeD Board of Inductees have approved these cadet's for SeeD induction." He stated, handing Cid a manila folder classified 'confidential' "We just need your final approval." He stated.

Cid nodded and grabbed the folder and headed into his office. He walked over and lied it down on the calendar blotter on his neatly organized desk. He straightened his glasses and proceeded to open and read the report. He skimmed through much of the vagaries and the standard details before coming to the names of the chosen.

* * *

_In accordance with Garden Code I-80SS, the following cadets have been selected for SeeD from the __April 27th, 4268__ H.R. field exam in Dollet:_

_Cadet 81993 Selphie Tilmitt, pre-selected for the rank of Intelligence Specialist SeeD Corporal 1st Class… Cadet Tilmitt displayed wise decision making and navigational awareness, locating the members of the Bravo team and delivering the withdraw order…_

_Cadet 11829 Zell Dincht, pre-selected for the rank of Combat Specialist SeeD Corporal 2nd Class…Cadet Dincht displayed great courage and followed commands appointed…Cadet Dincht made questionable decisions and argued with squad captain, but overall performed very well…_

_Cadet 33435 Nida Mateo, pre-selected for the rank of Aviation Technician SeeD Corporal 1st Class...Cadet Mateo displayed keen judgment and assisted in the medical aide of over one hundred Dollet soldiers…_

_Cadet 41269 Squall Leonhart, pre-selected for the rank of Gunblade Specialist SeeD Field Sergeant. Cadet Leonhart displayed tremendous courage and leadership as acting squad captain… Only third SeeD graduate to receive a perfect score. First Gunblade specialist to become a member of SeeD…_

* * *

Cid was more than pleased with the names of the new SeeD's listed, especially the final name. One of his earlier students who had succeeded in ways he never imagined. One of his most gifted students, and a young man he was very proud of. Cid rarely considered it a personal success when one of his students passed the exam, but this time he did. Even though Squall wasn't a 'people person', and didn't attend any of the Garden's social functions, it was impossible to deny that he was at the top of his class, and cared about his studies and his craft more than anything else.

He was exactly what SeeD needed.

On the other end of that spectrum, there was Seifer. He had failed the exam, again, and for the same reason no less. Eighteen years old, and he still had problems doing what he was told. First, he abandoned his post, and ordered those under his authority to do the same. If that wasn't bad enough, he had led them to St. Luther's Bridge, which had been fortified with G-Army soldiers, only to slaughter them and do severe damage to the bridge. It may have been Cadet Dincht's Guardian Force that had caused the destruction, but it was Seifer's decision that put them in that predicament. Then, he had led his squad to the Dollet Communication's Tower, only to abandon them and leave them to the mercy or the G-Army soldiers and the X-ATM092. Yes, Seifer had again shown total disregard of his superiors and his subordinates, and this time, Cid knew that penalties would be harsh, no matter how much he pleaded for him. Seifer had been confined to his quarters for one week after failing his first exam, and confined to the brig for three weeks after the second. And the Garden Master had his own philosophy when it came to handling delinquent students…

_Three strikes, and you're out._

"This looks fine." Cid answered, grabbed the fountain pen from its golden pen-stand, and signed the papers.

Cid finished and handed the documents over to the faculty member, who glanced at them, verifying the signatures, "There is one more thing." he stated, as the headmaster raised his head in question.

"Almasy…"

Cid knew it was coming, now came the hard part of keeping Seifer from NORG's wrath. The headmaster took a deep breath, and nodded. "I know. We were planning to deal with that tomorrow, seeing that tonight is the SeeD inauguration ball..." Cid explained before the faculty member chimed in.

"Master NORG feels expulsion is necessary." the second faculty member sternly informed Cid.

Cid's eyes widened as the word echoed in his mind, "Expulsion…" he muttered, shaking his head in disagreement, "I don't feel that is such a good idea. Seifer has been here since he was a child. He has nowhere else to go."

The second faculty member shrugged, "With all due respect Headmaster, that is his problem, not ours." He replied unsympathetically.

Cid was outraged, even with the mannerisms with which the faculty answered. Cid was aware his one and only superior, the mysterious Master NORG, including his staff, could care less about the well-being of the SeeD's and cadets of Balamb Garden. Cid shot from his plush brown leather chair, "And with all due respect, that is not the way I conduct business! Over the next year I will work with Seifer…" he began to explain before he was interrupted.

"His presence alone costs Garden money, not to mention the expenses to train him." one of the backup faculty members told him.

"One more year. I will inform Seifer of the consequences, and will personally oversee his counseling."

"Alright Headmaster, we will submit your request to Master NORG, but we aren't promising anything." He replied as he began to walk towards the large double doors. "Good day."

Cid walked behind them heatedly, intending to slam his door as they exited. Before he could do so, he was stopped by one of the faculty members, "Oh, and Headmaster. Master NORG wanted you to review this, and take care of it." He spoke, pulling out a folded up packet of white paper, and handed it to Cid, who grabbed it quickly and closed the door. He walked back towards his desk, tossing the packet of papers in his inbox, and walking behind his desk to the small mini-bar. He poured himself a small glass of whiskey and walked back to his seat, having the entire contents of the glass consumed before he sat down. He coughed as the harsh liquid flowed down his throat, not as adapted to alcohol as he once was. He sat quietly for a moment, trying to convince himself the day would get better. He looked over at the folded paper in front of him, feeling that it was one of his superior's dirty little tasks he wanted Cid to take care of for him.

He grabbed the paper and shook out the cobwebs, before reading the first line, _"This matter is concerning Instructor number 217, Quistis Trepe..."_

* * *

Squall lied on his bed, staring blankly at the pastel white-painted walls, letting his mind wander aimlessly. Thinking of anything in particular often led to recollection of memories he'd rather forget, rather than the few he held close to him. As the boredom began to take effect, and his eyes fluttered due to exhaustion, the phone on his desk, which was connected to the loudspeakers, began to blare off with the sound of Xu's voice.

_"Attention! Those who took part in yesterday's field exam, please go to room H-221 for exam results. I repeat…" she_ announced and repeated once more. Squall pushed on his earlobe after the blaring voice deafened him. He shot out of bed and over to the mirror, making sure he looked somewhat presentable. He took pride in how he looked, even though he didn't necessarily care how others viewed him, and didn't want to seem unprepared if and when his name was called.

He took his time as he made his way from his dorm room to the second floor homeroom that he had been summoned to. As the doors slid opened, he saw a number of cadets, even ones that didn't participate, and were just there supporting friends. He noticed Zell off to the side pacing back and forth, muttering something to himself as he did. He had decided to leave Zell as is and find and empty spot, but was startled as Raijin stepped in front of him.

"Hey man, Fujin was sayin' that'd be all your fault if Seifer doesn't become a SeeD," he told Squall as he made a dismal attempt at discreetly pointing at Fujin, who was leaning against the sidewall, cracking her knuckles, "She can be pretty scary, ya know!"

"RAGE!" she dragged the word out, leering at Squall.

Squall was hardly interested in where they placed blame. To them, Seifer was perfect. Their mortal anti-Christ who was the know-all, see-all of their entire universe. "I'll get over it." he answered and walked around Raijin.

He walked toward a free seat in the center of the classroom, just as Zell caught sight of him and trotted over, "S'up…" he said putting a hand on Squall's shoulder. Squall looked at Zell's hand, and then at Zell with a '_What-the-hell-are-you-thinking?_' gaze on his face. Zell realized his foul, and quickly retracted his hand. "Why you so late man?" he asked, hands behind his back.

Squall shook his head, "Don't worry about it." He told Zell impersonally.

"Hmm. Well, they're callin' the names out one at a time. That Selphie chick and some dude from Squad D were called." He notified Squall and walked back to his spot in the front of the room. Squall was glad he hadn't missed his calling, but a bit disappointed he had to wait even longer to find out. Squall didn't feel like waiting, but knew that this was what it was all about. All those years of training had been for this, becoming a SeeD. He was not usually excited about anything, but this had his heart pumping about as fast as it was on the battlefield.

After a few long minutes, a Garden faculty member stepped out with a clipboard in hand. "Cadet Zell Dincht, please follow me."

Zell halted and spun around as everyone looked over at him. Zell's smile went from ear to ear as he heard his name, "Oh hell yeah! See ya!" he jived wildly as he galloped out of the classroom, raising his knees to his chest as he did so.

Squall shook his head at Zell's immature charade, but was quickly refocused as he listened to the next few words from the faculty's mouth, "And…Cadet Squall Leonhart." he called. Squall breathed a sigh of relief after hearing his name. He stood up and headed towards the door as the faculty member finished. "That is all. You are all still more than welcomed to attend the SeeD ball tonight for you valiant efforts yesterday. Dismissed." The faculty member said and walked out of the classroom. Squall couldn't help but feel somewhat sorry for those who didn't make it. Many of them walked off in shame, and one guy even broke into tears. He didn't know how he would've reacted had he not made it, but luckily that was not the case. He just shrugged and headed toward the elevator.

He was finally about to become a SeeD.

* * *

Cid's office was huge, and much more luxuriant than the other offices in Balamb Garden. Numerous paintings, exotic plants and statues decorated the office. The floor consisted of glossy linoleum with a polished finish, aside from a strip of thin red carpet that led from the main doors to where Cid's desk was located. The walls and ceiling in his office were creamy white, with a huge domed window that extended up and around Cid's desk, and gave a breathtaking view of most of the island. Bvehind his desk were two flags; the Balamb flag, which was light blue with ocean water and various other objects, and the SeeD flag. It had not been Squall's first time in there though, mainly thanks to Seifer, but this was one time Squall didn't mind being in there, to be formally initiated into SeeD. The four inductees stood by, patiently awaiting the arrival the Headmaster. Xu stood by, and was accompanied by a Garden Faculty member, and two senior SeeD officers also stood by as witnesses.

Cid walked through the large mahogany doors unannounced, with Xu and the two SeeD officers shooting to attention as Cid nodded and Xu handed him a clipboard. Cid walked front and center in front of the four cadets, with a big smile on his face. His features wrinkled up as his grin got wider. Squall could easily perceive the stress of keeping Garden up and running was getting to him. "First of all, congratulations. However..." he said, and paused briefly, then continued, "…from now on, as a member of SeeD, you will be dispatched all over the world."

Squall clenched his fist as Cid continued talking, _"Let's go old man, on with it!" _he demanded to Cid in his mind, while keeping his composure externally.

"We are proud to introduce SeeD, Balamb Garden's mercenary soldiers. SeeD's are combat specialists. But...That is only one aspect of SeeD. When the time comes..." Cid continued, but was once again interrupted.

"Headmaster, we are running short on time. Please make this short." the Garden Faculty member explained, Cid not happy with the interruption. The faculty member walked up beside Cid in front of the inductees, "SeeD is Garden's most valued asset. Its reputation is solely dependant on each one of you. Handle your mission with care and discretion, and uphold SeeD's good name!" he said and walked over to Cid "Is that what you wanted to say, sir?" he finished, Cid giving a simple, but clearly annoyed nod.

"The Headmaster will now bestow you your SeeD initiation pin and field score report,." he finished as he walked back over to his assigned spot.

Cid walked over to Selphie who was on the far right, giving her a smile as she struggled to remain calm. "I'm looking forward to the Garden Festival." he said with a wink and a smile.

Cid then moved on to the next inductee. Squall had vaguely remembered seeing the cadet a few times in the past, but never bothered to find out who he was. Cid smiled and shook the inductees' hand, "A pilot, well, I guess will be seeing a lot of each other, Mr. Mateo. Do your best, even if you don't stand out." he whispered, and continued on.

Zell noticed Cid approaching, and despite his best efforts could not stand still. He began tapping his foot and moving his fingers wildly. Cid walked up and put his hand on Zell's shoulder, "You are quite the fighter I hear. You will be a valuable asset to SeeD."

Unlike Selphie, Zell was not able to control his actions as the exhilaration overcame him, "You know it, Headmaster!" he exclaimed.

Cid looked around at the other personnel in attendance, who weren't very pleased with Zell's outburst, "Try to control your emotions a little." he said resting a hand on Zell's left shoulder, causing Zell to stand upright and motionless.

"Sorry…" Zell whispered.

After shaking Zell's hand and handing him his pin and report, Cid paused and smiled as he continued onto Squall. Squall chose not to acknowledge Cid's exuberance and stared straight ahead. Cid walked in front of him with a perky smile, as Squall's emotions remained the same. Cid leaned in towards him, "Finally, a gunblade specialist. It only took sixteen years. I'll have to congratulate Master Sabin on his success." he said and shook Squall's hand, before returning to his spot in front of the newly appointed SeeD's.

The faculty member yet again walked up to the front, "This ends the SeeD inauguration. The ball commences at 2000 tonight. Do not be late. Dismissed." he said in somewhat of a hurry, as if he was trying to rush everyone out of the office.

Zell, Selphie and the other inductee joyfully walked out of the room with their SeeD reports. As Squall was exiting the office, Cid called him back, "Squall!"

Squall tensed madly as he heard Cid's voice yet again, _"Damn, what now?"_ he thought to himself, and walked over slowly to where the Headmaster stood.

"I just wanted to tell you again how proud I am. You've been here longer than anyone…I'm glad to see you succeeded." Cid said with genuine pride in his voice.

Squall nodded, "Thank you, sir."

"It's just too bad about Seifer. So much potential, wasted…" Cid said, and grabbed Squall's arm, pulling him closer, "Anyway, we'll have talk privately one day." he whispered, before a Garden faculty member once again added their unwanted input into a conversation that was supposed to be private.

"It is expected you will be using quite a number of Guardian Force's along the way. Be sure to ignore all the GF criticism you hear from other Gardens or military forces."

Squall nodded slowly, and turned around to walk away. _"Why is it every time he starts to say something, they have to jump in?" _Squall argued with himself and glanced back quickly, before exiting the office.

Squall took the elevator back down to the second floor of Garden. As the doors slid open, Squall noticed a welcoming committee had gathered in the hallway. Selphie was hopping around, seemingly even happier than usual, if that was even possible. "SeeD, SeeD…SeeD!" she chirped, her reddish brown hair complimenting her joyous and innocent face.

Zell ran in between the crowd and right up to Squall, "Yo Squall, lets get back to the classroom!" he exclaimed as he tugged on Squall's arm.

Squall pulled away from Zell's yanking grasp, "Why? What's left to do?" he questioned.

Zell cocked his head to the side, "Are you kiddin' me? Don't you remember what new SeeD members do?" he asked, Squall's eyes widening in curiosity. He never put too much thought into the entertaining traditions of SeeD "They give a speech in front of the entire class, tell'em how it feels to be SeeD's 'n shit!" Zell exclaimed as he jumped around.

Squall ran his hand through his hair, closing his eyes tightly _"Damn it, not another social function." _Squall's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Seifer's presence. Squall was half tempted to fall into a battle stance, feeling Seifer might attack out of resentment. As he walked up along Raijin and Fujin, Seifer uncrossed his arms and began clapping, inexplicably. The sudden turn of events seemed unprecedented to Squall, who would never expect Seifer to show up, much less applaud him for his success. Raijin, Fujin and the few other SeeD's and cadets that were present also began to clap and whistle. Zell began to blush and held his hand up. Squall just scratched the back of his head, still trying to contemplate Seifer's motives.

After the applause and a few congratulations, Squall ducked out and headed back down to the first level of Garden, peeling open the envelope to his battle report. Looking down at it, he was sort of taken off-guard. He expected to do well, but he had received the SeeD rank of Field Sergent, which was the highest rank a newly appointed SeeD could receive.

Squall proceeded to fold the paper and carried it with him as he walked. He glared at the pin, which was a mold of the SeeD crest, and also a sign of his success. He clasped it in his hand, letting its very meaning run through his being. His life was now not that of a naïve cadet, but that of a world-renowned SeeD. Squall headed back to his room, to celebrate his extraordinary accomplishment…alone.

* * *

The halls were quiet, as most cadets and off-duty SeeD's took advantage of the weekend liberty call, and traversed into town, some even traveling to neighboring continent Galbadia to do and see things they couldn't in Balamb. Quistis was grading some final term papers when she received a page from the headmaster. She decided she could finish the remaining papers at a later time and headed towards the elevator. Several minutes later, she arrived. The lamps were on due to the night's arrival, and Xu was dressed in her SeeD uniform, sitting at her desk reading a magazine.

"Good evening Xu, the Headmaster wanted to see me?" Quistis asked with a friendly smile.

Xu dropped the magazine on her desk, a bit stunned, "Oh, Quistis. Yes, he is in his office." She told her with a small delay.

"Do you have any idea what this is regarding?" Quistis asked, as she was never used to being called on weekends unless it was an emergency.

Xu paused for a moment, seemingly struggling with herself, "…No. He just told me he needed to speak to you."

Quistis extensive study in psychology had always proved useful, diligent of the manner in which Xu was acting, spotting traces of reluctance in her cohort's eyes. Quistis knew she was hiding something, but rather than confront her, she just shrugged, but was now a bit worried as to what the purpose of her invitation was.

"You can go in, he is expecting you." Xu told her, as she stood up from her chair and walked off, clearly a bit nervous in Quistis' presence. Quistis paused, and looked to her right, where the double doors leading to Cid's office were located. The door was so close, yet seemed so far away. Something was wrong; she could feel it. She walked toward them, swallowing nervously as she stood in before them. She placed her hand on the slender gold handle, pushing down ever so slowly.

Entering, she peeked her head inside, noticing Cid seated at his desk rubbing his eyes, with two Garden faculty members seated before him. Quistis knew most meetings she went to with Garden faculty members present weren't usually pleasant. "Sir…" she announced herself in a timid voice.

Cid raised his head and the two faculty members glanced over, "Quistis, please. Come sit down." Cid waved her over, and she walked in letting the door close gently behind her. "How are you today?" he asked with a forced smile.

"Fine, sir." Quistis answered as she sat down, and the Garden faculty stood up as she did.

The faculty members walked behind Cid, and one began to speak, "Enough of the pleasantries. We don't have much time left." He explained, as Cid buried his face in his hands yet again, "Instructor Trepe, you have been summoned here so that we may ask for your resignation from your instructor's position." the faculty member stated.

"Wha…" Quistis puffed, not even able to finish the question. She shook her head with a lost look on her face. Under no circumstances was she expecting that. It was totally out of the blue, seeing as how she always strived at perfection, it was hard for her to contemplate the reasoning behind the action. At a loss for words, Quistis asked the only question she felt was appropriate, "Is this a joke?"

Both faculty members shook their heads in unison, "We don't joke Ms. Trepe. You should know that." One answered, deadly serious.

She did know that, but it didn't make sense, it was a fog of mystery she needed to clear up before she could even begin to understand, "But why, what have I done?"

"Personally, you've done nothing wrong. Seifer Almasy is under your instruction, and I'm sure you're aware of his situation." The other faculty member explained.

One thing became clear suddenly, but only brought forth another question, "So, if I'm hearing you right, you are firing me for his mistakes?" she asked with frustration in her voice.

"We are asking you to resign to spare you the embarrassment. Your inability to control Cadet Almasy has led to this decision. In this aspect, you have failed as an instructor."

The words stung her more than they could've imagined. They weren't being kind about it or breaking the news gently to her. It was straight and to the point, and in that outlook, it was cold and insensitive, "So that's it?" she asked, seeing that they were not intending to let her plead her case.

"We have also heard from your fellow instructors that you tend to become depressed easily, and sometimes have trouble controlling your students. You lack the leadership qualities and the attitude to be a good instructor."

She couldn't argue that. It was not only that she was sometimes a bit too nice, but there were some cadets who refused to be taught or disciplined by such a young instructor. Even if her didactics were impeccable, some were just too stubborn. "It's not…" she started to explain before she was cut off.

"Right now, we just feel that this isn't the best position for you to be in. We understand you are young, maybe in a few years…"

Quistis stood up, holding her hand up to stop the faculty members flimsy nonsense, "Don't patronize me, I get the picture." She snapped back, and shook her head. It was overwhelming for her to accept, but she knew the decision was final. She had put so much time, so much effort into her work, and now it was taken away to no fault of her own. More than anything, she was livid at the man that was right in front of her. A man that had always seemed so supportive and helpful was sitting by idly as if he didn't care.

"Headmaster, may I go?" she asked politely, but inside wanted to scream at him for not fighting for her cause.

The headmaster raised his head. He was ashamed to no end, but after reading what NORG had wrote, knew that it was nonnegotiable. "Quistis, I'm…" he started, but never finished.

"May I go?" Quistis asked again insistently, not even caring to the fact she had just interrupted her boss.

Cid knew she needed time, and that nothing he could say would make it right. "…Dismissed." He said, as Quistis stormed out of the office, tears of failure streaming down her face. Cid was devastated, and was supremely upset with NORG. His decisions were made for his benefit only; Cid knew that. If it weren't for NORG's wealth and financial backing of Balamb Garden, Cid wouldn't think twice about removing him from power. Still, Cid knew this was his Garden, and that NORG was intent on having absolute power over Garden and its operations. Cid knew he couldn't let that happen. He _wouldn't_, let that happen.

* * *

After an hour of sitting in his room, writing in his journal about the field exam and his newly acquired role as a SeeD, Squall began feeling sluggish, and decided it was time to get his evening exercise over with, seeing as the inauguration ball was only a few hours away. He changed into a sleeveless black shirt and mesh shorts, then proceeded to head to the gym, located just beside the dorms. He walked in, luckily finding only a few people inside, most involve in rigorous training. After stretching for a bit, he moved onto his exercises. Squall was not strikingly big and was moderately slender, but he was incredibly strong for his build. His abdominal region and arms were very defined, and his chest and shoulders were broad, but not massive. He had a constant workout program that he had been following for over three years, and he had stuck with it, not slacking off on it, only resting from it when he was injured. It consisted of several compound exercises, such as bench presses, squats, pull-ups and crunches, a few isolation exercises, and for cardio a five mile jog/run, or several laps inGarden's indoor pool. The program kept him in outstanding condition, which was a must being a SeeD.

After finishing up his routine, he returned to his room, deciding he still had plenty of time to got to the training center and take down some grats. He changed into some denim pants, grabbed his gunblade and headed over. He was immediately greeted by a trio of grats, not wasting anytime in disposing of them. He had developed a foolproof technique when it came to battling grats over the years, and they really didn't pose a challenge to him anymore. He deemed it was about time for him move onto the advanced area of the training center. He hacked down about thirteen grats, and figured he should return to his room to prepare for the ball he didn't even want to attend, but knew it was compulsory.

Walking out from the intermediate area doors, a voice spoke from behind Squall, "Congratulations…" the voice said, with Squall immediately recognizing it.

"Master…" Squall said with a small smile, to the man he owed much of his success to. Nathanial Sabin, appropriately titled Master by his clan in Mysidia, and an expert warrior with the gunblade. He had been instructing Squall and Seifer for years the ins and out of how to use the unique weapon. Master Sabin was in his late forties and had medium length grey hair, a scar similar to Squall's that started above his left eye an continued down across his eyelid and ended two inches below the eye. He was wearing what looked like religious garments, consisting of a white chasuble, a black stole with golden lining, and mysterious scribes on each sleeve, and black leather boots. Peeking out from the side of his clothes was the handle of his gunblade, which was silver and had the Mysidian crest engraved into it.

After Squall's reverential acknowledgement, Sabin approached him. "I've trained countless men over the years on how to handle the gunblade, only to see them fail, and often fail miserably. Now, I have two which have albeit mastered this weapon." He spoke, until stopping just before his student, smiling and looking at the man he'd become. "But, you have by far, been the best. Your dedication and patience with this weapon have made you a force to be reckoned with…"

"…And I have you to thank for that." Squall finished. He respected the man very much; what he had been through, what he had taught; everything. "Have you talked to Seifer?" Squall inquired, wondering if Master Sabin had tried to talk some sense into Seifer.

"I tried, but he walked right past me. He needs time; time to see the error of his ways." Sabin replied, "Seifer is an enigma; from the first day I met him six years ago until this very day. Same with you. Even after all this time, I haven't been able to figure you two out. So similar, yet, so different."

"No…" Squall stopped him, and paused. "I'm nothing like Seifer."

Sabin chuckled a bit and continued, "I didn't mean to offend you, but I see it, and I think both of you see it as well; even if you wont admit it. That's why you always try so hard to outshine each other. I remember when you two first began sparring. Seifer would use his strength to knock you to the ground every time. He thought he had the upper hand since he was stronger, but over time, you learned to use it against him."

Squall was somewhat amused with Sabin's last comment. "Seifer never could stand to be second best. He wanted to stand out and be noticed no matter what it took. That's why he developed his own style of using the gunblade." Squall replied, walking alongside his teacher towards the exit and into the hallway.

"Yes, and if my father seen it, he would turn in his grave. But, he is very good with it." Sabin joked.

As the two continued talking, Squall's watch began to beep, signifying that he needed to get ready, "Well, I have to get going Master."

Sabing nodded, "I guess this will be the last time we see each other for awhile."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been here for ten years…been training for over twenty. I think it's time to take a break." Sabin informed with a deep sigh.

"You're leaving?"

"I may return, when I feel I am able. Mysydia needs me. There are many problems back home."

Squall hadn't ever been in the position where if he had a question, he couldn't ask his teacher. But now he was leaving, and it was killing Squall inside. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he didn't want to see Master Sabin leave. "But what if…"

Sabin smiled, already knowing what Squall was about to say. "You don't need my help anymore. I have taught you all I have to teach. Now, you are your own teacher." Sabin informed him, and rested a hand on Squall's shoulder. "I have taught you the ancient technique of Renzokuken. It is a deadly method, and you have learned it, but it is up to you to perfect it." He said, and began to walk down the hall. Once about ten feet away, he stopped, both with their backs to each other.

"I know you don't want to hear this, but I'm going to tell you anyway…" Sabin began and then paused.

"…I'm proud of you." Sabin finished, and once again continued down the hall. Squall took a deep breath; once again he had to say goodbye, but he refused to. Even with the tremendous respect he felt for his Master, he wouldn't say it. He couldn't; for some reason, it was just too painful. Squall lifted his head and nodded, even though Sabin was long gone, and replied.

"…Thank you." He said under his voice, and made his way to his room.

* * *

Squall walked in his dorm, immediately heading to the shower to get ready for the ball, something he really wasn't looking forward to, but wasn't about to disobey a direct order from the man up top. _He wasn't Seifer; after all_. Upon finishing, he did a quick shave and placed his small earring back in his left earlobe. He walked out from the steaming bathroom and into his bedroom, and noticed the uniform service had delivered his new SeeD, black dress uniform. It was hanging above his bed, and for just a second, he took time to admire it. The urge to try it on for the very first time overwhelmed him, and he succumbed, grabbing the plastic wrapped uniform and laid it on his bed.

Tearing through the wrapping, he spotted a small yellow paper on the hanger that read **'Congratulations, Mr. Squall Lockhart**.' Squall grinned as he read the paper. _'I go through all that trouble, and they can't even get my god-damn name right.'_ He thought bitterly to himself as he crumpled up the paper and tossed it in the receptacle.

After he finished getting dressed, he glanced in the mirror. He couldn't help but notice how well he filled out in his new SeeD uniform. The black fabric was decorated with gold lace lining, and wide gold and blue shoulder board, with a small gold chain that linked at the bottom of each shoulder board. After making sure everything was perfectly squared away, he walked out of his room, only to be startled by Selphie who was sitting at his table blowing cinnamon gum bubbles with her eyes closed.

"Have you ever heard of knocking?" he asked, drawing Selphie out of her blissful daze.

She clenched her teeth in regret, "Oh, sorry…" she apologized, and Squall nodded. "Anyway, the Headmaster wanted me to make sure you were getting ready."

Squall clenched his fist, "Son of a…" he muttered. Even as the newest member of SeeD, Cid couldn't help but keep a short leash on him.

Selphie barely heard Squall say something, though not loud enough to understand, "Excuse me?" she asked.

Squall shook his head, "It's nothing." He fibbed. "I'll be along in a few."

"Good, cuz it's time to get our par-tay on!" she exclaimed, dancing out of Squall's room.

Squall breathed an annoyed breath as she exited, her jubilant behavior getting on Squall's last nerve. He was just as happy as she was to be a SeeD now, but he wasn't bouncing off the walls like a buffoon. As he walked out, he noticed something he had almost forgotten lying on the table; his SeeD pin. It was now a new item that he cherished, along with his ring, necklace and gunblade. He was never materialistic, but these were coveted items he treasured more than the clothes on his back. He clipped the Field Sergeant pin on his right breast, just below his shoulder board, and flicked off the light.

As if going to the ball wasn't enough, the walk to the ballroom was a task in its own. He passed countless SeeD's and some cadets, who all admired his presence, as if the uniform fit him more perfectly than it ever fit anyone before him. He would usually shoot an unyielding glare at those who gawked at him, but there were to many eyes to battle with this time, so he just let them be and quickened his pace. The ballroom was not located in Garden's main premises, but was located just beside the dorms in the SeeD memorial building. Not only was it a place for celebration, but also a place to reflect, mourn and pay respects for those who died in the line of duty, and those who made it all possible. Squall had been there several times in the past, as it held much history of his vocation.

He arrived at the front of the elegant stone building, walking by and nodding to the guard at the entrance. Even from the outer porch, the sophisticated musical score could be heard clearly. The crescendo of the chiming piano keys filled the inner hallway, as the lively allegro made everyone who heard it sway to the beat. Squall even caught himself pattering his hand against his leg along with the catchy beat, before he realized it, and quickly scolded himself mentally.

After cutting and dodging through the large crowd of high-ranking SeeD's and esteemed guests, he finally made it to the ballroom, which looked, for lack of a better word, magnificent. On both sides of him were tall glass sculptures, which gleamed with the light of the crystal chandeliers that dangled overhead on the ceiling with artistic patterns. Assortments of arranged flowers were garnished around the room, giving it an enchanting fragrance. A hired band of pianists and cellists played a variety of classical and operatic scores on the stage, next to the portraits of the four new SeeD inductees in gold frames.

Squall cringed after seeing a blown up picture of himself at the forefront of attention. _"Oh great, that's all I need…" _he thought.

As he began to scour the room for an unoccupied spot he could blow off an hour or two without disturbance, Squall felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Squall, nice to finally see you in a SeeD uniform." the voice said as Squall turned, realizing it was Headmaster Cid, dressed in a trimming black tuxedo.

Squall's protested at Cid mentally, but acted appropriately, as always. "Thank you…sir." he responded, shaking Cid's clammy hand.

Still in the handshake, Cid stepped to the side and pulled Squall in, whereupon he noticed two SeeD officers. Cid knew had he not forced Squall to interact, he wouldn't, so it was a well-planned entrapment on his part. "Squall, this is SeeD General Mikalas and SeeD General Croix. Gentleman, this is our best new SeeD, Gunblade Specialist, Squall Leonhart!" he introduced. Squall saluted and the generals returned the gesture.

"We've heard a lot about you young man. We hear you're a wonder with the gunblade," SeeD General Croix complimented with a pat to Squall's shoulder, which Squall didn't care for, to say the least.

"Hopefully one day, we'll be fortunate enough to work together," Croix finished and nodded to Squall, saluted the Headmaster, and the two officers made their way towards the buffet table.

Squall tried again to step away before Cid once again caught up with him. "Squall. I can see you don't really want to be here, but I would appreciate it if you would stick around for a bit." He stated, patting Squall on the back.

Squall clenched his teeth, but knew there was no point in arguing with the Headmaster. "Yes sir." Squall turned, replied and saluted.

After the Headmaster walked away, Squall shook his head. As if it wasn't enough to fight Cid's battles, now he had to stand around and watch swanky cosmopolitans and debutants interact as if they were having fun. Although, Squall could see no way anyone in the right mindset could find it as such. Venturing further in, he crossed along the polished dance floor, eyeing the golden colonnade that ran just under the winding staircase. His plan to settle in the shadows beneath the staircase was foiled, as many guests were admiring the large fish tank that was built into the wall, containing many exotic fish and marine life. He instead found a column near the stage, which was the most available and only vacant location he could find. He sneakily grabbed a glass of champagne as one of the servers walked by, and then leaned against the column, hoping to Hyne the night would quickly pass.

He watched as SeeD's and other invited guests danced and frolicked, enjoying the attention he _wasn't_ getting. The fun his peers were having didn't seem as tempting to him as it would seem to others. He enjoyed his privacy; _he thrived on it_. The idea of having a friend sent a shiver up Squall's spine. He could partially remember those times when he did have a friend, which seemed almost pleasant, but the feeling of losing the friend seemed far much worse. A feeling he dreaded more so than death.

He raised the tall glass of fizzing liquid to his mouth, the carbonated bubble tickling his tongue as he sipped it. He was not fond of champagne, or any alcohol for that matter, but if could assist him in drowning him out of reality, he was all for it. He watched as people sat around several round tables with white and gold tablecloths, with their pretentious laughs telling their ridiculously lame stories. He watched as fellow SeeD's made small talk with many of the upscale female guests. Squall was smart enough to realize the women wanted nothing to do with them, and that the men were only interested in one thing; and it wasn't their intellect.

An hour had passed and nothing had changed. He had managed to steer clear of any boring conversations by the Headmaster or other SeeD's, who often enjoyed recounting their latest mission, which usually included very little action. A waitress walked by and handed Squall another glass of champagne; he nodded and began to sip on it once again. He noticed several of the female SeeD's as well as the revered female guests eying him; their eyes riddled with dark desires, and forbidden pleasures they fantasized about the young man bringing to them. It was often complicated for the introvert to avoid social interaction being as exceptionally good looking as he was, especially compared to many of the SeeD's at Garden, who in the years since their prime had lost their hair on their head, and in return gained unwanted pounds. It was evident though, Squall's good looks would only improve with age. He watched as the women continued their meager attempt at seductively teasing him across the room, licking their lips and rubbing their inner thighs or exposed cleavage. Though, they did not know what they were up against.

This was Squall Leonhart, and he wanted no part of it.

In the midst of the enjoyable silence, a powerful voice caught Squall off-guard, "Yo!" a voice called out excitedly.

_"Oh no."_Squall said to himself as he heard Zell's voice blare in his head. He had seen Zell throughout the night dancing around and flirting with the younger female SeeD's, and had been lucky not to bump into him; _until now_, that is.

"S'up Squall. Heh heh, It's awesome to finally be a SeeD, huh? Now we get paid to kick ass! Put 'er there!" Zell said, extending his hand out in a respectful and forthcoming gesture. Squall looked down at his hand, knowing returning the gesticulation would make Zell push for a friendship Squall didn't have to offer. He took a quick sip of his drink and glanced to the side.

Zell gave a faint whimper and shook his head in expectation, "Are you ever gonna stop being a dickhead?" he asked jokingly.

Usually such a comment would cause Squall to walk away in annoyance, but he was in a decent mood and decided just to humor Zell's cocky remark, "Don't count on it." He quipped.

Zell chuckled and shook his head, "I wouldn't, believe me. Why don't you just loosen up for one night, have a little fun? There's a lotta hot girls here, want me to hook ya up?" Zell questioned, pointing out to all the women in attendance. Even if Squall were interested in meeting someone, it wouldn't be through Zell, who was about as smooth as the edge of his gunblade.

Squall shook his head, "Maybe some other time." He answered, although it couldn't be further from the truth.

"Even as a SeeD you're still the same…" Zell shrugged, and adjusted his uniform in a mockingly gentlemanly way, "As for me…" he started, as two gorgeous girls walked by smiling at Zell, "...uhh, what was I saying?" Zell became flustered as promiscuous thoughts ran through his mind. "Later Squall!" he said as he ran off in the same direction as the two females. Squall breathed a sigh of relief that the girls walking by gave Zell some false hope; otherwise he may have continued his demented rambling.

Through the bright lights that hung from the ceiling, Squall noticed the thousands of tiny stars that sparkled in the night's sky. The spherical skylight above gave the perfect view, showing the stars in the flawless sky, with the quarter moon glowing brightly. The serenity and stillness the view portrayed, and the steady stream of alcohol flowing through his blood, made him feel…_at peace_. As he continued to observe the luminous night sky, a single shooting star breached his vision. He carefully followed the streaming beam of light as it slid along effortlessly, leaving a trail of blue light in its path. As the star snuck out of sight from beyond the skylight, Squall slowly trailed his vision downward.

When he came back to eye level, something else caught his attention. A single girl, standing alone, following the same shooting star happened to glance over in his direction. The girl pointed back up to the sky, signifying she also noticed the shooting star.

Squall cocked his head to the side, _"Who…is that?" _Squall couldn't think, and could barely remember his name. The most perplexing aspect of this emotional riddle was he had no idea why. He had been going through so many different emotions lately, but the feeling he just had was one he had never felt before. Never had he been so startled that he couldn't think straight, but he quickly shrugged it off as a momentary lapse. One thing was for sure though; he _was_ intrigued.

* * *

**Whoo****, damn, been working hard on dis' here chapter. Y'all betta have enjoyed it! I hope, at least. This is going to be a hyper-extended version of Inside Look and Prodigy's Corner, seeing as how I didn't do one last chapter, and there are a lot of details of my story I wanna get off my chest. So, get ready, cuz here it comes.**

**Inside Look**

I didn't use many references to other books and games, aside from other Final Fantasies, which you will see a lot of. Midgar and Junon, yes, Final Fantasy 7. Mysidia, yes, Final Fantasy 6. You will see the world of Final Fantasy 8 grow A LOT bigger than it was in the game. Twice as big, and probably bigger. You'll see what I'm doing with it in the coming chapters, so stay tuned. I also didn't like the continents being as bland as they were, there will be much more landscape and smaller towns and cities within the existing continents. Except Balamb, which pretty much remains unchanged. The city of Balamb will be expanded, but Balamb city will remain the only town on the island.

I loved writing both Ifrit battles, with Squall and with the G-Army soldiers. You probably won't see many more extended Ifrit scenes, but I think I did him and Shiva justice. Never really liked Quazzy, so don't expect too much on him. Always thought Quezacotl was worthless, and that's why I don't have Squall kickin major ass just yet. Don't worry, he'll be getting a new GF soon enough, and will be a lot more badass.

Like I said, _Non timetis messor_, the line Seifer used in Chapter 4 before killing the soldier means, '_Don't fear the reaper'_ in Latin…or in this story, Centran.

There were a few explanations I only included because Peptuck did his so well. Such as more info on the worldwide signal interference, more about the Dollet and the Duke of Dollet, and creative influence in describing Cid's office. Haven't played the game in awhile, so I need some help. I said it once and I will say it again, you may see some ideas or hints of ideas that come from other authors styles and stories, especially Greg's (Peptuck), mainly because:

1: Becuz they are, in fact, the same plot, and…

2: He is a brilliant writer, who I admire.

Some of the ideas actually are just a coincidence of us thinking alike, since I had a lot of material written before he began to publish, and I hadn't even published. When I began writing this I had the intention of making the first FF8 novel with much more bonus content and original ideas. Well, obviously I cant be the first, but I will be the second, or at least, try.

The scene between Sabin and Squall was somewhat influenced by Yoda/Luke and Obi Wan/Luke. I don't plan of delving to far into the Star Wars Universe though. Never read any of the books, but I loved the movies. At least the first three, with high hopes for Revenge of the Sith.

The World Council was the idea of the awesome Ashbear in Crimson Lies. You will be seeing much more of that in this story, since they will serve as a worldwide version of the U.N.

I am drawing much influence off my own experiences as a soldier. Not so much the battles really, but the price and feeling of being a soldier. I think the people who really get into games and books are people who relate to one, or even two or more of the main characters. In my case, it's a mix 'tween Squall and Seifer.

Okay, well, there are some things I really wanted to explain since you won't see them in great detail in the story, so here it goes.

First off, the timeline. I kind of came up with the year 4268 just from random picking and choosing. Seeing that it's based around Hyne, who was the savior of humanity, hence H.R. (Hyne's Reckoning) and happened some 4000 years ago, and I didn't want it to be an exact 4000 years, so blah blah blah, I changed it. Not much, but a little. And since there is no official timeline, I really haven't changed anything. So Squall's birthday would be August 23, 4260. Understand? I hope so.

Secondly, I wanted to explain how SeeD rankings work in my story. Well, instead of explaining it, how bout I just show you.

Here is a list of SeeD ranks:

_Lance Corporal_

_Corporal 2nd Class_

_Corporal 1st Class_

_Field Sergeant_

_Staff Sergeant_

_Specialist 3rd Class_

_Specialist 2nd Class (Specialist ranks only given to those who are experts in their field)_

_Specialist 1st Class _

_Master Sergeant_

_Instructor (Special Rank)_

_Field Captain_

_Captain_

_Vice General_

_General_

_Commander_

Hope that clears things up a bit. If you have any further questions or things you'd like to have explained, please let me know.

**Prodigy's Corner**

**Noacat**: No, I'm not a genius, but I play one in real life ;) Anyway, glad to see your review. And what's up with Angel Wings, it's so good! Keep going with it! I try to keep the flow as natural and seamless as I can. If it ever seems sketchy, let me know. And coming up with original names for different things in the game is tough, yet fun. Sometimes, like Peptuck, I draw inspiration from other books, movies, games, etc…and sometimes I make random crap up if it sounds cool. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

**DBZ Fanfiction Queen**: Yer majesty! Yes, all SeeD's have their own GF's, and so will many others. I think you'll like how it all ends up as far as GF usage goes. Yes, Squall's first kill. Couldn't have him just shrug it off and continue…he's a human with morals, and feelings he has, but never shows. At least, not much. Like I said, love writing the Ifrit battles, it fit well in my humble opinion. Thanks for reviewing! I've been trying to read more stories lately, so I will soon get around to read and reviewing for you. Just wanna get a few more chapters out of the way. Also, I will get around to that good/evil stuff soon enough, but you rest assured it won't be done like it was in the game.

**Water-lily43**: Glad ya liked it Lil! I like including Squall's thought, but not too much because sometimes it slows down the progression. But when I feel it fits, I put it in. Thanks for reviewing!

**Miki-Death-Strike**: Thanks Miki, I try! It is hard when you don't have much time, and sometimes you get burned out, But it's important not to become obsessed with it. That was my problem at first, I eat, sleeped and breathed this story, and even though I still put everything I have into this, I don't wear myself out like before. Keep that in mind. Thanks for reviewing!

**Kaiser**: Keep up with your novel man. If ya can't, its all good, but just draw from mine and Petucks story, and make a kickass story! Thanks for reviewing!

**Okay, it's late, time for bed! See ya Thursday!**


	7. Chapter VI: Emotional Barriers

_-You wanted more  
More than I could give  
More than I could handle  
And a life that I can't live  
You wanted more  
More than I could bare  
More than I could offer  
And a love that isn't there-_

**_-Tonic_**_, **You Wanted More**_

**Chapter VI**

**_Emotional Barriers_**

_Love is a spice with many tastes, a dizzying array of textures, and moments. Everyone searches for it, but few truly find it. Man can discover all the jewels and lost treasure the world holds, but no one finds love;_ _it finds them_. Squall found this concept of love to be nothing but balderdash, a useless quote of a hopeless romantic. But for an instant, he felt something. It wasn't love, seeing as he had only seen her five seconds earlier, and it surely wasn't love at first sight. Squall would believe the prospect of Zell being president before believing such nonsense. Something was there however, from that where love blossoms, and makes a person feel that exhilarating rush for a moment. It was a tease from the heart, one that even a lifetime of fantasizing could not recreate.

Try as he may, he couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her. To him, she was a diamond in the rough, standing out amongst every other female who had stepped foot in the room. The petite, yet shapely raven-haired woman was wearing a strapless, creamy white, silky dress that ran down to about mid thigh, and accentuated her finer features. Contrary to many of the women in attendance she wore little make-up, and her beauty was natural, unlike many in attendance who appeared borderline clown and cheap whore with the makeup that masked their naturally unattractive faces. She was standing by another SeeD, who Squall figured was trying to hit on her, but she wasn't focused on who she was standing next to.

To Squall's surprise, the girl began to walk in his direction; his heart skipping beats with her every step, and the only thing racing faster was his mind. He didn't want to give the slightest impression that he was interested, so he picked out a painting that hung on the back wall of the ballroom and focused intensely on it, although the young woman approaching was certainly more appealing than the grizzly looking man on the painting. The young lady strolled up to him, as Squall continued to stare off, still acting as if he didn't notice her. From the corner of his eye, he could see her smiling at him with her hands behind her back. It was an innocent, yet seductive look Squall found enthralling. Trailing his eyes downward, he studied her as she did the same to him. At closer look, he noticed that she had a few golden-blonde streaks, which complimented her delicate black hair perfectly.

"You're the best looking guy here." she complimented in a soft, breathy voice, "Dance with me?" she questioned with optimistic eyes. Knowing he had to act quickly to prove that he wasn't a dolt, and make it clear that he had no interest in her offer, he did the first thing that came to mind, as he simply sipped on the flat champagne, and glanced off to the side at nothing in particular. His rejection was not spoken in words, but the message was more than clear.

Rather than walk away in dejection, she smiled and dismissed his phlegmatic response. "Let me guess…you only dance with someone you like?" she questioned with humor in her voice.

"Okay then…" she began as she moved in closer, staring directly into Squall's cerulean colored eyes. "Look into my eyes…"

Squall tried to back up a bit, but the pillar was just a tad too heavy. _"What the…"_

She leaned in a bit closer, sending a sudden shiver of unexpected delight, as well as unease up his spine. "You're…going…to…like…me! You're…going…to…like…me!" she chanted as if to hypnotize him, swirling a finger in his face mischievously. After a moment, she took a step back and smiled.

"Did it work?" she hoped. Squall was never amused by such wit, but he couldn't help but feel fairly engrossed by the girl's inane attempt at becharming him. But the fact of the matter was, he didn't want to dance. He could think of several other activities he'd rather be doing at that moment; like sharpening his gunblade. He racked his brain for a logical excuse, and spit out the first thing that came to mind.

"I can't dance." Although it was a lie, he figured it was his best bet of staying off the dance floor.

The girl rolled her eyes and smiled, "You'll be fine. Come on." she said. Without warning, the girl grabbed his hand, and tugged his arm. "I'm looking for someone, I can't be on the dance floor by myself." she said, tugging once again, only harder. Squall was amazed at the young woman's strength as she pulled him along. He managed to hand his glass to an unknown guest, who half-wittingly took it. She dragged him in a winding pattern around the waltzing couples, until reaching the center of the dance floor, just under the glimmering chandelier.

Squall remained reluctant and stood there, motionless. She grabbed his hand and placed one on her waist, one in her slender hand, and eased into motion. Squall recognized the score that the band was performing, recalling it from the many dance lessons he was forced to take as a cadet., but showing this girl he was actually able to dance meant he might be out there for a while. He thought it was much smarter to act aloof, and end it fast.

Thinking he was a novice, she decided to take the lead and began to dance, while Squall purposely began moving his feet in a bumbling form. He shifted around maladroitly as he danced, and gently bumped into her. Unaltered, the girl once again grabbed his hands and began to lead. Starting up again he rolled his eyes, not paying much attention to the dance, and didn't notice as the girl spun away, pulling Squall in with her. He bumped into her fairly hard, this time though, not purposely. While most women probably would have walked away after the blunders, this young dame remained poised.

Even though it was just a front, Squall found it a bit humiliating making a fool of himself in front of his fellow SeeD's. He decided he was finished with the charade, and tried to make a break for it.

"That's it, I'm out of here." he said shaking his head and beginning to walk off.

"Hey, get back here." she demanded, running and grabbing his hand, pulling him back to her.

Squall knew he could easily pull away from her grasp, but found himself once again beckoning to her call. She again took the lead, while looking down at his feet and instructing him when to do what, but he had a hard time focusing on anything except this beautiful stranger, who for some reason had a peculiar interest in him. He did something in that moment that totally contradicted his entire personality, as he leaned in and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath of the apple scented shampoo in her shoulder-blade length hair. He exhaled in a state of momentary euphoria, the scented aphrodisiac placing him into a realm of sensual delights, which was a place that was forbidden in the world of Squall Leonhart.

She looked up, noticing his entranced eyes. She too had felt something, the same thing that made her pick him out of the countless other gentlemen in the room. It was more than just physical attraction, it was the way he carried himself. He was nothing like the other men at the party; his eyes didn't wander from woman to woman, and he carried a distinct maturity that drew her to him. She breathed heavily as she stared back at him; his eyes swallowing her with each passing moment. Within their small world on the dance floor, they unexpectedly bumped into another SeeD who was dancing next to him.

"Watch it rookie!" the discourteous SeeD spat, causing Squall to become irritated, and somewhat embarrassed.

Before Squall had a chance to reply, the mystery girl stepped up, "I'm teaching him you jerk!" she said firmly, causing both the other SeeD and his dance partner walk off the floor with their noses in the air.

Squall's eyes widened, quite surprised at how she handled the situation. She seemed a bit ashamed for acting so vulgar just then, but her smile returned a moment later. The tempo and the tune changed suddenly, as Squall and the girl began to dance yet again. He decided that he might as well just finish the dance properly, after his failed attempts of fleeing had fell short. He swayed with the rhythm of the number, synchronized and perfectly in tune with how the girl was dancing. She was a bit surprised, seeing as how moments before he couldn't get a step right, and suddenly he was one of the better dancers on the floor. Her smile fondled his muscled heart, and for the first time, he managed to forget he wasn't there against his freewill. As the musical score came to its climax, he spun the girl out, as their hands remained closely clasped together, neither wanting to let go. After the final spin, he pulled her in closely as the lights within the room dimmed. He couldn't remember the last time a girl was that close to him and he didn't mind. He looked deeply into her beautiful brown eyes, intoxicated by her exquisiteness. The two seemed to be in a trance as they gazed at each other, the girl breathing heavily in anticipation.

While Squall gazed upon her, the colorful lights and thunderous blasts of the pyrotechnics suddenly shifted his attention. Many of the guests began to cheer as they lit the evening sky. Squall stared off at them in amazement, the polychromic lights creating a gleam in his masculine eyes. The girl looked up at him, admiring something as if it were brand new to her, and in a way, it was.

From the corner of her eye, something grabbed her attention. She looked over and her eyes grew large with anticipation. She gently tapped Squall, bringing his eyes back to her. "I gotta go, thank you." she said winking and staring back at him as she walked off, as if she didn't want it to end.

Squall tried to call her back, but the words wouldn't come out, watching as she vanished into the swarm of guests. Her sudden departure took him off guard, as he stood on the dance floor, alone. He bowed his head, the resurfacing feelings of abandonment and isolation washed through his mind, making it difficult to breathe. No clear images or memories of his past resurfaced, but the hideous feelings were there nonetheless. The young lady, who had left his life just as quickly as she entered had gave him an ever slight taste of human affection, which was practically nonexistent in his life. It was a bittersweet sensation, toiled with neglect. He turned around and walked off the dance floor slowly.

_"Who was that?"_

Seeing that his cozy spot had been occupied during his absence, Squall walked up the winding staircase, taking a right at the top and walking down the dimly lightened hallway. Portraitures of Balamb Garden SeeD's and influential colleagues decorated the walls along with golden lanterns, gifts and souvenirs from foreign countries. At the end of the long hallway a set of glass paned double doors were opened, with a gentle ocean breeze flowing throughout, and a round-tiered balcony on the outside. It wasn't a balcony he was allowed to access much, so he decided to take advantage of the opportunity. He needed to clear his head, and fresh air seemed like the best means of doing so.

Walking out, he leaned against the black marble balustrade, looking out into the vast area, which gave a perfect view of the Gaulg Mountains. Usually had he been looking at them from that standpoint, he would wonder how many fiends were lurking there, but this time he had more intimate thoughts running through his head.

'_Who was that girl? I never seen her around here, so I really doubt she's a SeeD. Maybe she is married to one? No, too young_._ She said she was looking for someone, but who? Damn it, I'm thinking too much again! Who cares who that was, I'll never see her again! She's just some girl who wanted to dance. She could care less who I am….Damn it!' _he thought to himself, becoming frustrated that he couldn't get the young lady out of his mind.

Deep in thought, a voice interrupted, "You really are an excellent student. Even that dance was perfect."

Squall took a deep breath, _'…Quistis. Critiquing me every chance she gets…_Thanks." he thought, and replied. She sauntered up and stood alongside him, holding a glass of red wine in her hand. The beautiful blonde had her hair tied back in a ponytail, and was wearing a red satin dress, with high heels and black stockings. She had been observing Squall from a distance the entire night, from the moment he walked through the door until that very moment. Squall had been in rare form that night; first dancing with a young lady that he had never previously met, now basking under the light of the stars in the blackened sky. His eyes dwindled as thoughts of what could have been played out in his mind. The evening breeze cooled his face and for the slightest instant, it looked like a smirk crept on his face. Turning his head to the side, he glanced out the corner of his eye, noticing Quistis still standing there, watching him.

"Can I help you?" he questioned with a disgruntled tenor.

"So you'll dance with someone you don't even know, but you can't stand being around me?" she questioned in a curious tone. It was unlike Quistis to bring such questions up, since she tended to become emotional a bit too easily. Squall didn't pay any special attention though, more interested in what the heavens had to offer than anything she had to say.

"Whatever…" he said without breaking concentration. "…why were you watching anyway?" He had known Quistis for almost six years, and she always seemed jealous every time he even nodded at a girl, which was about as much as he'd ever do.

"Lack of entertainment, I suppose." She shrugged and replied, taking another swig of her wine. It was a bit chilly, and the slinky dress she was wearing provided little warmth, as her exposed skin was covered in goosebumps. Perhaps she was waiting for a kind gentleman to offer a coat or warming arms, but as much as she'd hope, that man wasn't the one standing in front of her.

"You still haven't answered my question." She said, still wanting an answer.

"What, you want to dance? There are plenty of 'Trepies' here that would be honored to squire you around, Instructor."

"That's all I am to you, your instructor?" Quistis questioned as her sappy side came to the surface. She walked up right beside him, trying to make eye contact with him. "After all these years, you still can't regard me as a friend?"

"Friend…" he repeated with a long breath, clutching the stone railing of the balcony. The word had no meaning left; it was just another useless word as far as he was concerned. "No such thing." It was hard to hear such words coming from his mouth, from a person she actually cared for. Words that conveyed a misery and pain that could not be explained, only felt. A pain that didn't even hurt anymore; just the withered remains of what used to be real emotions.

"You'd be surprised how much better you could feel just knowing you have a friend."

"I'll keep that in mind." He responded, "Was there something you wanted, or did you just want to chit chat?"

"I've come to give you an order. I want you to meet me in the secret area in the Training Center. It's where the students secretly meet up and talk after curfew."

_'The secret area? Cadets go there to do more than just 'talk'. Why the hell she want to go there!' _Squall thought as he stood up straight, pondering what Quistis had planned. "Why, what do you want to do there?" he asked. If it wasn't mysterious enough that she wanted to meet in the first place, the location just brought up a whole slew of new questions. The secret area she referred to was also known as '_Lovers Lookout'_. Out of all the possible locations they could meet, why there? _Why now?_

"If you just want to go there to tell everyone they're violating curfew, forget it. Leave that for the Disciplinary Committee." He said, in what sounded moderately like a joke, making Quistis laugh in response.

"Go get changed and meet me there in half an hour" she quoted softly, making her way back inside. She turned around and sighed, "This will be my final order." She finished, but before the words could register, Quistis was gone.

_'Last order? What is she talking about?' _he thought. He turned back around with his hand on his hips, watching as another shooting star streamed passed, which jogged his memory of the woman he had met earlier, the nameless beauty, with the unforgettable smile and the stimulating fragrance. As he caught himself once again drifting in his feelings, he rubbed his eyes.

"That's enough fresh air." he said aloud to himself as he walked back inside, and headed for his room.

Garden always seemed more serene during the evening than during business hours, mainly due to the silence that overtook the halls. There were no cadets to stare at him, no SeeD's to bore him, and no instructors to scold him, only a few cranky Garden faculty members walking around upholding Garden's curfew policy. Squall walked past the closed library, scratching his arm as the coarse fabric of the SeeD uniform bothered his skin. He continued on peacefully, but was startled as an unknown individual suddenly bumped into him.

"Oh, pardon me. I am a little lost." The man politely apologized, sitting a befriending hand on Squall's shoulder.

Squall shrugged the strangers hand away as he adjusted his uniform. "You should really watch where you're going."

"My apologies." The man said, bowing his head. Squall looked up, his eyes fixed upon a young man in his mid twenties with neatly groomed, short black hair. His uniform is what stood out, though, as it closely resembled the SeeD uniform, the main difference being the color, as the stranger's uniform was white with golden brocaded lining. The most notable part of his uniform was the white band he wore around his head, which was adorned with an exact replica of the SeeD crest. Whether it was authentic or not, Squall did not know, but figured he would not have been wandering Garden so casually had he been an intruder.

"Excuse me, but I wonder if I might ask you a question?" the man asked.

"What is it?" Squall asked, somewhat suspicious.

"I am looking Headmaster Kramer. Might you know where he is?"

"Not really…" Squall replied. Usually, he wouldn't divulge any further information to a stranger, but the manner in which the man carried himself was much like a SeeD, and although his uniform was varied from his own, Squall deemed him to be trustworthy.

"You could go to the third floor and speak to the Headmaster's secretary. She might know." He told him, knowing that Xu would be there late that night due to the influx of guests from the ball.

The man smiled courteously and again bowed his head respectfully, "Thank you. You're help is most appreciated." He answered and gave a SeeD salute, which pretty much ensured Squall he was an ally of Garden.

Squall quickly returned to his room, changing into a tucked white T-shirt and baggy black jeans. He equipped his holstered and gunblade, grabbed some extra projectiles for his weapon, and made his way to the training center. Walking down the long corridor, he passed two playful cadets with raging hormones, who had in all probability just returned from the secret area. Squall continued in, entering the inner sanctions of the training center. It had a jungle-like atmosphere, as various plants and leafy trees surrounded the outskirts of the area. The ground beneath him consisted of several patches of artificial grass and dirt, but also had a few steel plates beneath to support the ground's weak foundation. To his right was the entrance to the Advanced area, where only SeeD's with special access could enter due to its extreme nature and powerful fiends. Of course, due to budget cutbacks, the only fiends inside were T-Rexaurs, but defeating one definitely took more than a few small magic spells.

He entered the door to his left, which led to the Intermediate area, and ultimately to '_Lovers Lookout'_. Upon entering the expanse area, he noticed a few SeeD's who were training late battling Grats, which were plant-like fiends with four, long and heavy arms with sharp leaves on the end. They were the only fiends found on the intermediate side, and became pretty easy to defeat after a few battles with them. Squall walked ahead along the soiled ground, walking around the massive red construction beam that had fell from the ceiling, and a unkempt limb from one of the trees, and could not be fixed at the time due to Garden's financial problems. He battled a few of the Grats along the away, having them taken care of in a matter of seconds.

He turned the corner as he came to a dusty sand path, walking along it until he came by what was widely known in Garden as the _'Tree of Love'_. It had so many initials of SeeD's and cadets who had christened the area with a late night romp, that hardly any of the gibberish on the tree was legible. He had remembered numerous instances walking by and hearing moans and screams, and they weren't the type you'd hear from cadets who were engaged in battle. That was a big reason he never went there, and he swore to himself if he seen something he didn't want to, he'd leave without a second thought. He ducked and brushed away the leafy branches that hung over the small wooden walkway, and into the secret area. Pushing through the heavy red doors with a sign that read **'Do Not Enter'**. Upon walking out, the night air seemed refreshingly crisp. He walked along the railed floor-which looked like an old ventilation shaft and looked in both directions, seeing no signs of Quistis, only two couples necking, which thankfully hadn't gotten any further than that.

Directly ahead, the magnificent view caught Squall's eye. The lights from Garden's exterior were illuminating the dark environment. The halo shined with an angelic glow, with a luminescence that reached above and beyond the reaches of the black sky. It was scenic; almost artistic, but such beauty would be hard to capture in a painting. Had he been alone, he may have lost himself in the view, but the sound light footsteps behind him kept him in check. He stared off in the distance, waiting for her to say something.

"Such a beautiful view, isn't it? Kind of romantic, too." Quistis stated, standing behind Squall as he continued stargazing.

"I guess."

She walked up right beside him, the strong scent of freshly applied perfume lingered around her, "I haven't been here for a while..." she told Squall, who made no comment.

"…What time is it?" she finished, walking up next to him.

Squall shrugged, not bothering to look down at his watch. He recalled the time it was while he was changing in his room, and gave her an approximate estimate, "It's after midnight." He said glancing at her. She had changed into a green shirt and loose fitting brown pants, with her hair hanging straight down and tucked behind her ears. She had also brought her whip, mainly just to ward off the Grats in the training center.

Quistis expression was unlike any he had ever remembered. It was a fretful glare, not for someone else though, but for herself. Quistis was always one to put others needs and welfare before her own, and in Squall's case that was often bothersome. Though, he secretly admired her for that, but would never illustrate such feelings, especially to her.

"Oh well…" she expressed in a disheartening tone. "I, Quistis Trepe am no longer an instructor as of now."

"What?" he asked, thinking it may have just been a ruse just to get his attention.

She laughed, and stood silent for a moment. The look on her face spoke more than words could, and Squall knew then, she wasn't joking. " I guess the Garden faculty convinced Cid I wasn't capable of doing my job, so they stripped me of my instructor status." He could not understand why Garden would revoke her instructing license, as she never received anything but the highest esteem from her colleagues and students.

"I'm a just a regular member of SeeD now, like you. Who knows, maybe we'll end up working together." she finished, raising her head and looking over at Squall, who was still focusing more on the view than the conversation. Squall wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea, but knew his job wasn't to question who he worked for or got assigned with.

"…Oh really?" he questioned in an impassive voice.

"Oh really?" she repeated, seemingly upset with his reluctance to show any type of sympathy. "That's all you're going to say?" Squall was taken back by Quistis small outburst. He figured it was just another Garden budget cut, and they could not afford to keep her as an instructor any longer. Being that she was the youngest instructor at Garden at only eighteen, she was probably the first to get cut.

"If that's how it was decided, you have to abide by it. Nothing I say is going to get your job back" he replied coldly as he turned around, leaning against the rail with his elbows, looking towards the red doors, wanting to leave.

Quistis knew she was asking more than Squall was willing to give, but felt the need to let him know how she felt. "You know what they told me?" she asked, moving in a bit closer. "They told me that I failed as an instructor. Basically, that I lacked leadership qualities…because of Seifer. I was a SeeD by the age of fifteen, got my instructor license at seventeen..." She explained. Squall turned his head and rolled his eyes. He had become used to Quistis emotional pleas, but it never got any easier to stomach.

'_Why are you telling me this? You know I don't want to hear this! Why can't you just understand like everyone else, that I am just not interested in your problems. There are hundreds of people at Garden who would be happy to listen; even comfort you, but I'm not one of them. Why cant you just understand GODDAMNIT?' _he demanded inside, staring down at the ring on his finger, listening barely to what Quistis was saying.

She bowed her head, and spoke softly, "It's only been a year since I got it…"

_'Has it been a year?' _he thought.

"I wonder where I went wrong?"

_'I don't know, maybe you should ask'_

"I did my best…"

_'Sometimes, best isn't good enough.' _

She was reflecting on where everything went wrong, and what she could've done to prevent it, but what else was there left to say to Seifer to make him see that he was set on a path paved by destructive tendencies. She didn't want to see Seifer end up on the streets scrapping for loose change, or even something far worse, although she knew Seifer would never go as far as beg for anything; he'd sooner die than do anything of that nature. Upon noticing Squall staring down at his ring, she gasped as if she had been insulted.

"Are you even listening?" Quistis scolded, sounding if she were on the edge of breaking down.

Squall glanced at his watch and sighed, "Are you done yet…I don't want to hear this anymore." he answered. Quistis crossed her arms and looked over at him, expecting more, but Squall was becoming impatient with her expectations, "What am I supposed to say about other peoples problems?" Squall replied calmly.

Quistis dropped her arms and her warped glare, "I don't want you to say anything. I just want you to listen." she said in a somewhat pleading voice. "That's all I ever wanted from you."

"Then go talk to a wall." Squall spat back quickly. He usually let Quistis down easy, and she usually took a hint, but he was in no mood to play games at the moment.

"Aren't there times when you want to share your feelings with someone?" she asked in a sullen voice. Never did she ever know someone who was more callous and closed in, and the fact it was someone she cared about, in so many ways, depressed her further.

Squall remained silent for a moment, lost between his thoughts and her words, _'Sure, sometimes I do, but the fact is, I don't! Nor do I need to. Wanting is selfish, and I don't act upon my WANTS! I have all I need and that's it. Friends and family are uncertain, never knowing when one is going to leave you or betray you. I don't need my own problems, and I certainly don't need yours!'_ He glanced over at Quistis and pushed himself off the cold rail, looking away.

"Everyone needs to take care of themselves, I don't want to carry anyone's burden." he replied emotionlessly, pushed himself off the railing, and walked back towards the door to the Training Center. "I'm outta here."

Quistis watched as Squall walked away and out of the secret area. _'Squall, when are you going to open up to me. Even a blind man can tell that I care for you. Please Squall, trust me' _she thought to herself, hoping subconsciously that Squall could tell what she was thinking. She couldn't help to feel somewhat incompetent after being relieved of her instructor duties, and sighed deeply "...No leadership qualities...Failed instructor...Perhaps they're right..." She muttered to herself, and glanced back once more at the massive radiant form of Garden in the distance. She walked back inside, bidding farewell to the crisp spring night.

Squall kept a steady pace; wanting to get back to his room before Quistis could catch up for another dreadful post-mortem. He knew how she felt, even if she hadn't professed it, the truth was evident; she had strong feelings for him. _Love_…maybe, he didn't know. Either way, it made no difference, it wouldn't change how he felt. _Why was she doing this? What was the real reason she asked him there? Was it to tell him that she had been relieved of her instructor duties, or was it something else? Who cares?_ Still, she needed to realize that he wasn't like the other guys at Garden, who were in love with her, or more correctly, in _lust_ with her. So many would've given their right arm for a chance with her, but all he wanted was for it to end. He truly didn't want to hurt her, but she needed to understand, the feelings she had for him were hers, and hers alone. He could never return them.

_No way. No how._

Making their way towards the exit of the Training Center, an unsettling scream caught both of their attentions.

"Somebody, help!" the fearful voice carried through the training center. Quistis ran forward as Squall stopped and looked around, not exactly sure from where it came from.

"What was that?" she asked, uncoiling her whip and snapping it off the ground. The screams became louder, sounding as if it were coming from the front of the training center. Quistis bolted ahead with Squall close behind. As they came upon the exit to the intermediate area, the door slid open, with Squall and Quistis coming to an abrupt halt after eying a girl in a sparkling purple dress, crouching against the rusted wire gate that separated the outer and inner regions of the training center. Floating above the woman was a fiend that looked unlike any Squall had seen before, especially in the training center. Its mosquito-like body was a dark hue of orange with black stripes around its body. Its giant wings flapped hastily as it hovered in the air as it taunted its victim, dangling its seven foot extended tail near the woman, the prickly stinger on the end craving to pierce her flesh.

Squall pulled out his gunblade and stared up at the fiend, preparing to attack. The woman's voice once again screamed out desperately, "Squall! Quisty!" she called out for help as the monster taunted her. They exchanged glances, both confused as to how the woman knew their names. The voice sounded familiar, and now Squall was able to put a name with the face. He hadn't gotten a good look the day prior, but for some reason, knew it was the mystery girl from the infirmary. Her face too seemed vaguely familiar, like he'd seen it before in a past lifetime or a forgotten dream. She was elegantly dressed, no doubt for the ball, but had no recollection of seeing her there.

"Squall!" Quistis yelled, Squall shaking his head and glancing over to her, "We have to divert its attention!" she stated as he nodded and charged forth. It appeared the fiend didn't notice him advancing, so Squall raised his blade to slice, but was suddenly struck in the chest with the side of the fiend's heavy tail, causing him to crash into the wire gate to the side.

With the wind knocked out of him, he clutched his broken ribs that were sore from the impact, watching as the stinger stabbed forth. Before it reached him however, Quistis had snapped her whip wrapped around the tail, and was using the extra physical strength Shiva was providing. It wasn't much, but was at least enough to keep Squall from being stung. The fiend let out a shrieking yelp, and began to fly around, trying to shake Quistis off. She pulled back using all of her body weight for leverage, but it was no match. She was pulled along with grass and sand digging up beneath her boots.

"Squall, a little help?" she asked frantically, being tossed around easily by the strong tail.

Squall dismissed the pain and regripped his gunblade, again preparing to initiate an attack, this time just a bit more tactfully. Before he could however, he noticed something from the corner of his eye. Standing at the entrance was the man in white that he had bumped into just twenty minutes earlier, accompanied by two other men, dressed in the same white uniforms. The trio took a few steps forward, all intently focused on the fiend.

"Step aside, we'll take care of this." The man in front stated, revealing a black and silver crossbow, as the two men behind him revealed their weapons as well. "Go!" he shouted as the men behind him darted around, charging from both sides. The man with the long blonde hair attacked from the right, yielding a set of long-chained nunchakus, different from Selphie's in that his had curved blades at the end of each handle that sliced and diced anything and everything they came in contact with, and a handle in the center that allowed for a more diverse array of attacks. The bald man charging from the left carried an odd weapon known as a laserblade, which was like sword with the exception that the steel blade was replaced with a blue ionic-charged laser.

The blonde haired man spun under the tail, twirling the blades behind his back multiple times, tearing rigid gashes in the insect. The bald man assisted as he performed an acrobatic somersault in midair, high enough that made it seem as if he had a Guardian Force of his own. His laserblade sliced across as the fiend swung its arm at the blonde man, but never made contact as the arm was severed by the ionic saber. It shrieked as plasma spurted from its limb, while the two attacking men pounded it with an assortment of moderately powerful lightning and ice spells, which proved that each carried their own Guardian Forces.

After weakening it to the point it could barely stay afloat, the black haired figure slipped an arrow from his faded, brown leather strap, loaded it, pulled the sling back, and fired. Gliding through the air, the arrow seemed ordinary enough, until it suddenly began to emit a white light and expand into a jagged spear of energy, which proceeded to impale straight through the body of the insect fiend. A bright light flooded through the entire body of the monster, as it erupted from its eyes mouth and open wound. It screamed loudly as death overtook it, causing it to fall to the ground; it's insides reduced to ash.

Squall turned around and sheathed his gunblade, watching as the blonde man attended to the woman. "Madam, are you alright?" he asked worriedly, helping her to her feet.

"Yes, I…am fine." She gasped out, pulling herself to her feet. She seemed a bit shaken up, but not injured thanks to Squall and Quistis.

"I shouldn't have left you alone." The blonde man told her, grabbing her hand and assisting her, "Please, let's go. It is not safe here." He said as he led her out of the training center.

"…Alright." she replied as she walked with the man in a wobbly daze. Squall took a step forward, stopping as the woman looked back to him, freezing him in his tracks. Her eyes were flooded with compassion as she looked at him with a gentle smile.

As the woman disappeared from his sight, the black haired gentleman stepped within his field of vision. "Thank you for your help, once again." He stated, yet again bowing his head, thanking them for their kind assistance, and proceeded out of the training center quickly.

"Did you see his uniform…who was that?" Quistis asked. He had tried to convince himself it was not his business, as usual. He was not one to question matters that had nothing do with him. It was inborn. This time though, he was compelled to know, like it had a sturdy grip on his mind and refused to let go. He was disciplined enough to keep from speaking, but this occurrence just added to his need to know.

Quistis wiped the sweat off her head, and glanced over at Squall. He was stretching his arm, trying to hide the soreness in his ribs. He could feel her unrelenting eyes on him, and stared straight ahead. "Are we done?" he asked, although he was planning to leave no matter the response.

Quistis walked forward without answering, obviously dismayed over Squall's indifference. She paused and turned to him slowly. "You can act however you want, but deep down, I know you want what everyone else does. It's human nature Squall, and whether you care to admit it or not, you are human too. Everybody needs someone at one point or another. I just hope you realize it before its too late." She explained, and turned, walking out of the training center leaving Squall to his thoughts.

Squall stood by with his arms crossed, watching as she walked away. He had survived yet another poignant confrontation with her, and took a sigh of relief. Her last words did little for him, seeing as he had heard the same type of speech countless times in the past. He was human, and he did have feelings, the last two days had been a reminder of how true that was. However, the feelings she was hoping for didn't exist, even if he did search for them, he would never find them. He looked down at his ring, Quistis' last words replaying in his mind. Maybe she was right, maybe he did need someone, or maybe not. He refused to let her words get the better of him, and shook his head, walking out of the training center and back towards the dormitory.

Squall walked through the hallway until he reached the external corridor leading to the dorms. In the distance he could hear the pounding, rhythmic beats of hip-hop music blaring in the dorms. Being that it was a weekend and many of the upperclassman enjoyed drinking and carousing, Squall paused and took a deep breath and stopped. He wasn't in the mood to debate with drunken cadets about the volume of their music, no matter how ridiculously loud it was. He wasn't the type to report the incident to the Garden Faculty, instead choosing to take matters into his own hands. Usually it ended peacefully with a simple nod of compliance, but some of the more disorderly cadets challenged Squall, but he never backed down. He was smart enough that he was always able to avoid physical confrontations, and talk them to a point to where they were considerate, or flat-out scared. Either way, he always got the job done.

Coming upon the short set of stairs before the dorms, a loud voice chimed out, "Field Sergeant Leonhart, huh?" he heard, turning quickly to see Seifer on the other side of the colonnade by some thick bushes smiling at him smugly. Seifer laid a tall bottle of liquor on the flat marble banister and hopped over swiftly, immediately grabbing the bottle and walking towards Squall.

"Kind of has a ring to it. A somewhat faggoty ring, but a ring nonetheless." He jived, laughing at his pitiless sense of humor. Squall shook his head and walked up the steps without a word. "No speech for me?" Seifer stopped, holding his arms out.

"You're drunk Seifer." Squall stopped and replied.

Seifer walked up closer to him, and showed him the unbroken seal, "I haven't even cracked the bottle. But believe me, I will be soon enough." He stated, and tucked the bottle inside his jacket, "So, how was the ball?" Seifer asked with a wondering eyebrow raised.

"What do you care?" Squall responded, crossing his arms. Yes, he knew Seifer wasn't drunk, but either way, Seifer was still Seifer.

"Just curious. I was talking to a girl who was there, said it was a bit too high-class for her taste."

"Were you there?" Squall questioned.

"I tried to get in. God-damn Garden Faculty stopped me!" he said, flicking his hand forward angrily. "I guess we won't be seeing so much of each other anymore. Kinda sad, isn't it?" Seifer asked with mockery in his voice,

"Heartbreaking…" Squall responded, returning the unwelcome sarcasm.

"You know, to be honest…" Seifer started and walked over to a stone column under one of the light fixtures and leaned back. "All those times in the past, where I've gave you a hard time, and if when I 'fought dirty'…it was to toughen you up." Seifer explained. Squall cocked his head at Seifer's unusual approach. It was so uncharacteristic of him, admitting such a thing. Sure Seifer and Squall went way back, so far that neither could even recall, but it wasn't all sugar and sweets. It was a tainted history full of broken bones and black eyes, but did seem to be somewhat on the truthful side. Squall remembered a few times before he learned to defend himself, Seifer sticking up for him, and five minutes later beating the living piss out of him. It was an unspoken respect, and a mark of territory, like he was the only one allowed to mess with Squall Leonhart. It was a preposterous notion, but it was pretty much true.

"You were always such a little pussy, if I didn't do it, who would've…Cid? Ha, you wouldn't have made it past puberty…" Seifer elaborated, and cocked his head back in wonder, "…which was just yesterday, wasn't it?" Seifer cracked, playing off his 'Puberty-boy' comment he had made the day prior.

"Are you through?" Squall asked, wanting to walk away.

"I'm hurt. I would think you'd have more to say. Seeing as how you're a big time SeeD, and I'm about to have my ass booted out of this joint."

Squall's eyes widened. He wasn't surprised Seifer would be reprimanded for his behavior in the field, but expulsion seemed so unlike Headmaster to be so harsh with a punishment. Cid was lenient, and usually found more productive ways of disciplining trouble cadets and SeeD's. If this was to be the decision, it was no doubt a decision made by the Garden Faculty. "They're kicking you out?"

"Nothin' official, but they warned me if I were to pull any stunts like the last two exams, I was finished. They get their panties in a bunch cuz I'm a born leader. I take orders from no one…I'm no ones lapdog!" Seifer demanded, pushing himself off the wall. He was red with fury, and even hinted at being worried. Garden was Seifer's home, his life and his only means of living a somewhat normal life. Seifer shrugged off Squall's peculiar glance, and broke the unsettling silence.

"Anyway, I'll let you go. You probably wanna get back and jerk off to your gunblade." He immaturely remarked and snickered, pulling the bottle out of his jacket.

The day had been fairly eventful, and Squall was too tired to reply to such a remark. Squall turned from Seifer and continued up the staircase to his room. Before Squall got too far, Seifer called him back, "One more thing…" Seifer called out. Against his better judgment, Squall turned to acknowledge him.

"I would keep practicing if I were you. We haven't sparred for the last time." Seifer said pointing and bouncing his gloved hand, before spinning around and jumping back over the side ledge, and disappeared into the night.

Squall made quick pace and returned to his dorm room without interruption. He passed a few stumbling upperclassman who seemed cheery and exuberant due to the alcohol streaming through their teenage bodies. His hallway for the most part was quiet though, and he was pleased with that. He slid the plastic keycard in the door and it slid open. Upon flicking on the light, he noticed his table, and the few other items he had lying around were missing. He stormed into his bedroom and flicked on his light, noticing his bedroom was as empty as the day he arrived. He clenched his fist tightly, before spotting a single sheet of white paper in the middle of the empty desk. He walked over and picked up the paper, and stared down at it.

_Mr. Leonhart,_

_As the newest member of SeeD, you are now entitled to a private room in the SBQ (SeeD Bachelor Quarters). Your new room is C244. Please ensure you cadet room is cleaned and inspection ready before you move out. Please turn your old key into the front desk. Thank you, and congratulations!_

_SeeD Master Sergeant Rasha Derjin_

As Squall finished the typed letter, he glanced to the bottom of the page where the letter continued in barely legible, ink blotches.

**'Squall, I moved your stuff into your new room, cuz they wanna put some of the new upperclassman in there tomorrow morning. I tried to find you and let ya know, but I figured you were getting laid or somethin'. Anyway, I put the key under the mat in front of your new room. You can pay me back anytime. Lata'.**

**Z-**

Squall shook his head and folded the paper. He looked around the room in its bare form, and took a deep breath. He had only been there since he turned twelve, but those five years had practically molded him into the person he was. He was not the sentimental type, but it felt strange leaving the room for the last time. He had been through numerous roommates, only one of which stayed longer than a few months. He had seen his best and his worst moments while residing there, but realized it was ridiculous to dwell over the past the room held. He flicked off the light-switch and left the room.

After a short walk to his new room, he grabbed the key under the black, SeeD crested mat where Zell had left it. Upon entering he flicked on the light. The standard SeeD dorms were much like the cadets dorms, with a few differences. There was only one bedroom, so there was no chance of getting a roommate, which Squall was particularly content with. There was also a intercom with a small monitor on the wall, mainly for getting a hold of him when he was needed. Aside from a small kitchenette, and a slightly larger television, there were no major differences. There were VIP rooms that were much more elegant, but were reserved for high rankings SeeD's and high-status guests to Garden.

He finished observing the living area of the room and proceeded into his bedroom. Squall shook his head after observing the disaster Zell left behind. He had been kind enough to haul Squall's belongings to his new room for him, but just like Zell, had done a half-assed job of placing it there neatly. Actually, half assed would've been better than what he had done, piling his books, utensils, clothes, hygiene products and all his other items in one mountain of disorder in the middle of his floor. He thought it better to fix it in the morning when he could properly sort it out. He slid out of his uniform, hoping to Hyne he would not have to wear the chafing fabric much in the future.

He pulled off the covers in hopped into his new bed, which was every bit as uncomfortable as his old one. He had grown accustomed to the rock hard mattress over the years, so it didn't make much difference to him. Lying there, his mind fluttered with visions of what had happened that night. First the young lady he shared the dance with at the ball, and the woman he helped in the training center. For the first time, maybe ever, Squall was dreaming of girls. For most teenage males, it was abnormal _not_ to have such salacious desires. Not that his thoughts were of the sexual type, but both girls were stuck in his head, circling his mind in an unbounded spiral. He closed his eyes and drowned out his mind. Slumber overtook his exhausted form as he fell into peaceful rest for the night. Little did he know, that peace would be very short lived.

* * *

**I know, a day late and a dollar short. Sorry, but like I said, if it doesn't come out the day I set, it will be out soon after. Okay, let's do this!**

**Inside Look**

As fans and gamers know, this part of the game was cheesy and also a bit vague on many details. I always thought it stunk that you knew nothing about the guys dressed in white (Don't wanna spoil it :) until later in the game, so this gives me a chance to expand upon them much like Peptuck has done.

I include parts of the game dialogue, but tried to make it less cheesy and melodramatic. Also, had to include an extra Seifer scene. Seifer is an awesome character, and I plan on making him one bad ass mo' fo' in this story!

Laserblade…yes, a shallow ripoff of a lightsaber, sue me! The blonde hair figures nunchakus are much like the Cerburus nunchuks in Devil May Cry 3.

**Prodigy's Corner**

**Noacat**: Glad you like all the extra stuff, but in all actuality, you haven't seen nothin' yet!

**Kaiser**: Haven't heard from that girl yet, but I'll help however I can. Reading this chapter, I guess you've figured out that I am surely gonna include more on the men in white! And no, I didn't know those were Nida's weapons, but I'll look into it, tanks for da heads up!

**Pepuck**: (Rolls out red carpet) The Man! Thanks for reviewing Greg, I appreciate you taking time out of your hectic writing schedule to review. Hope to see you around these parts more. I know, you have a better method of describing battles, but mine will get better as time passes. Thanks for the pointers; it's kind of hard not having any type of editor, cuz I don't see little things that I don't catch until later. I actually like when people tell me through reviews what mistakes they've seen, so I thank you for that.

**DBZ Fanfiction Queen**: Hey queeny! Yes, much more in the future will be original, so if you like it now, jus' wait! And if you don't like Cid in the game, you may only like him a bit more in my story. He will be in my story much more, but he isn't gonna change much, but who knows, you may end up loving the fat bastard! Ciao!

Okay, well another chapter down…so it's onto the next. Haven't really been getting many reviews, but that's not as big as a factor as it once was. I figure as long as I get a few quality reviews each chapter, from faithful reviewers, the story will keep going. So don't worry, I'm in it for the long haul this time.

Also, check out the updated bio. Still needs some extra stuff, but it's a start!

Chapter 7 will be release next Thursday or Friday. Laters! X)


	8. Chapter VII: Mission: Implausible

_(Revised on May 9th, 2005)_

**Chapter VII**

**Mission****: Implausible**

**Monday, May 1st 4268**

**0633 hrs**

The early spring morning brought with it an abundance of sunlight, which shined vibrantly through the window in Cid's minute, but convenient bedroom, located in a separate alcove in his spacious office. It did get annoying however, seeing as how Xu habitually interrupted his slumber with vital mission statuses and emergency SeeD requests. Still he knew it was all part of the responsibility he willingly took when he started Balamb Garden just over thirteen years prior.

He had slept well that night, even though the stress was at a paramount. He had managed to deal with it over the years, as constant pressure had become second nature to him. He did realize however that someday, maybe sooner than later, he would not be in the condition to handle the anxiety the task of running Garden brought with it. As Cid tossed uncomfortably underneath the silky cotton sheets, Xu knocked gently on the door and eased the door open quietly.

"Sorry to wake you so early Headmaster, but two Garden faculty members are requesting your presence. They said it's urgent."

He lifted his head to acknowledge her, "Alright Xu. Give me five minutes, then send them in." his weary voice responded.

"Yes sir." She nodded and walked out. Sitting upright, he rubbed his tired eyes; so red and strained with fatigue he could barely hold them open. He would often catch himself dozing in and out of consciousness when left alone for more than five minutes, but it was very seldom that it ever happened. He threw off the covers, and crawled out of bed, walking tiredly to the bathroom in his room. On his door neatly hung his attire, ready for a quick dress like he usually needed. He changed into his blue button-down shirt and gray slacks with a purple vest, combed his hair, splashed some cold water in his face and headed out to his office.

Upon arriving at his desk, a tall mug of pure black coffee awaited him, courtesy of Xu. It was a morning ritual that was never ignored; his day wouldn't start without a fresh cup of java. At first he despised it. The bitter taste, the rich aroma, everything. But over the years it became an addictive drug he couldn't live without. As he sipped on the steaming beverage, he turned, leaning against the wall, staring through the domed window out to the lush rolling plains of Balamb. From that view, even the Bite bugs looked peaceful as they flew around aimlessly in the dewy morning air. He often enjoyed letting his mind wander with the clouds, and pretend he was drifting away without a care in the world. It seemed somewhat asinine, but it was a small escape from the frenzied life he led.

Before he could delve further into his state of mental delusion, the sound of his office door opening brought him back, and without even turning around could sense the presence of those who entered.

"Good morning Headmaster. Excuse us for the untimely visit, but Master NORG has approved the Timber request you submitted yesterday." One of the two Garden faculty members that entered, spoke.

Cid cringed for a moment, and turned around with a forced smile on his face. "Excellent." He replied as he walked up and grabbed the folder classified as '_Confidential_'. He walked back to his desk and opened the folder, putting on his glasses as he perused the mission details. For the most part, the contract had not been altercated, until he came upon the SeeD deployment form, which had been changed drastically.

"What is this?" Cid questioned.

"Master NORG felt is was necessary to modify certain aspects of your request before he could accommodate. Seeing that only twenty-five thousand gil was offered, Master NORG feels that's more than reasonable." The Garden faculty member explained.

Cid stared at the paper, repeating the three names listed. "Leonhart, Dincht, Tilmitt? I requested three _veteran_ SeeD's." he stated, making it abundantly clear he wasn't happy with the modifications.

"Headmaster, I am sure you are aware of Garden's financial situation. We have so many SeeD's dispatched as it is, and several requests for much more generous amounts." the second faculty member explained. "It would be a waste to deploy our more experienced talent to a client that can't even pay standard fare."

"It's not always about the money." Cid replied. "This is unacceptable, they were just appointed Friday. They haven't even had time to settle in."

"Settle in? You, more than anyone, should know how well they are trained. The moment they swear in, they are SeeD's. They are paid to do a job, not to sit around and look pretty." one of the he faculty members stated. Cid knew well that accepting such a low-financed proposal would cause disorder between him and the Garden faculty. He felt no desire to argue further with the faculty members, feeling it best to speak with NORG in person.

"I will speak to Satius personally on this matter." Cid spoke and stood up, signifying he was through with the conversation.

Without delay, one of the Garden faculty members shook his head in censure, "If you read the contract, it clearly states that there will be no replacements of any SeeD's." he stated, almost complacently.

"Satius may be the Master, but I am the proprietor of this Garden and its operations!" Cid demanded with widened eyes, anger twitching in his eyes "I will determine who will be deployed to Timber!" He finished demandingly.

The second faculty member held up his hands in an attempt to calm the Headmaster, "We understand you're not happy with this, but to go against Master NORG's decision would breach your contract, and he would undoubtedly pull his funding of this institution. With no funding, the SeeD program would die. What would stop Deling from taking control over Balamb?" the Garden faculty member stated, as if he could care less if it happened or not. "It would be wise to choose your actions carefully, Headmaster." The faculty member finished and sat back in his seat.

The condescension in the Garden faculty's voice was apparent, even through the pseudo-respectful wordage with which he spoke. Still, he knew they were primarily speaking through NORG, who caused much more of a headache than Cid ever imagined. He had met Satius Ramm, a member of the peaceful Shumi tribe and a wealthy entrepreneur, fourteen years earlier when Balamb Garden was merely a sparkle in Cid's eye. He looked so many places for someone who would back Garden through thick and thin, and the only one willing to even consider the notion was Satius. Cid was blind to his ways though, not even taking into consideration why he was an outcast of the Shumi tribe, since after all, the Shumi's were very kind and peace-loving, and Satius' morals were everything but that of a traditional Shumi. They had came to an agreement; Satius would finance Garden's operations and in exchange, he would become a silent partner in the exorbitant endeavor, have a part in all business conducted, and be known only among the top brass at Garden, simply, as _NORG_.

Over the years though, the simple deal had taken a different form. Satius began to show his true colors, wanting more money and power, and eventually taking role of Garden Master, dispatching his own faculty to ensure all was running how he wanted. He had threatened to pull funding on numerous occasions if his demands and expectations were not accommodated. This was no different either, seeing that it was NORG's decision to deploy three new SeeD's, and all Cid could do is grimace, and slowly let his anger die down. Cid simply nodded and turned staring out at the puffy white clouds that floated above; trying not to let his emotions get the better of him.

As NORG's two lackeys headed towards the exit, one turned around to speak once again, "One last thing Headmaster. Seifer Almasy is to be arraigned today. Will you be present?" he asked. Seifer, yet another problem he didn't want to have to deal with. He wanted so badly for Seifer to succeed, to see the error of his ways and become the great SeeD he was seemingly destined to be. But time was running out for Seifer, and Cid knew that.

"No, I have a previous engagements, I will not be able to attend. Still, I want a full report of what was said, when it was said, and who said it." Cid responded, making his orders clear.

"Noted. Good day Headmaster." The Garden faculty member bowed, and walked off.

Cid watched as the Garden faculty exited, snapping a pencil he held in his hand as they did. "Greedy son-of-a-bitch!" Cid cursed through clenched teeth, not noticing Xu standing to the side. Cid bowed his head, ashamed for portraying such sinister emotions to her. She had seen him angry before, although more often than not he remained professional to a fault, especially around his subsidiaries.

"Headmaster, is everything alright?" she asked as she slowly walked forward.

"Fine, Xu." He answered as he took in a calming breath. "Seifer is going to be tried today."

Xu nodded with a small smirk, "Good riddance."

Cid's head snapped up, a bit surprised by the insensitive response, "Excuse me?"

"Pardon me, sir. I know how much you want to see him succeed, but in my opinion, for what its worth, Seifer is a lost cause. As many times as he's been counseled, and as many second chances as he's had, he showed no appreciation, and no remorse for his actions." She explained. "You've cut him enough slack as it is, and he's taken advantage of your generosity every time. If you give Seifer an inch, he'll take a mile."

Cid nodded in understanding. She did have her reasons, viable ones at that, but Cid could not bring himself to despise Seifer as so many others did. "Perhaps you're right. But still…" Cid responded, aware that no matter what he said, it held very little reprieve as far as Xu was concerned, "Anyway, please contact Quistis, she need's to be present for Seifer's arraignment."

"Why? She was removed from her position, quite wrongfully may I add." Xu asserted.

"I know, but she was Seifer's instructor at the time of the incident."

"Yes sir. Anything else?"

Cid fumbled through the stacks of papers on his desk until coming upon a single green sheet, and handed it to Xu. "Just contact the SeeD's listed here, and have them assemble in briefing room C at 0900."

"Yes Headmaster." She acknowledged with a head bow and walked out. As the door closed, Cid fell back in his seat, swiping the thin-framed glasses off his face and throwing them on his desk. Anger and anxiety caused his eyes to burn with fury. Something would have to be done if Cid wanted to retain his position in Garden. It was evident that NORG was slowly but surely trying to establish dominance within Garden, and operate it entirely the way he wanted to, which would undoubtedly be for nothing but his own personal gain.

Cid just sat in his chair, contemplating his next move.

* * *

Dreams were always scarce to Squall, but nightmares were more than frequent, especially since the field exam, where new nightmares had originated. Vivid images and gory faces polluted his mind, causing him to toss and turn through the night. By morning, the sheets that covered his body were in a crumpled heap on the floor, while half his body hung lazily over the side of his bed. The long weekend had proved beneficial, seeing that his ribs and various other injuries were wholly healed, and all the troubling thoughts that had been plaguing him had slipped to the back of his mind. The two women from Friday night's ball were still fresh in his mind, but he wasn't as preoccupied with them as he had been a few days prior. 

Without warning, a high-pitched melodic tone chimed through the room. He slowly lifted his head of the pillow, looking over at the alarm clock that read 8:22. Upon seeing the time, he realized that it wasn't the alarm clock from which the sound was coming from. He pushed himself off the bed and looked around the room, his eyes finally finding an unknown device sitting atop the desk in his new room. He had not noticed it the night before, and even if he had, he wouldn't have given it a second look. He crawled out of bed and walked steadily over to the blinking device. The mechanism looked a bit like an awkward shaped remote, with several buttons in which Squall had no idea of their function. Common sense told him to press the blinking red button, which he did promptly. Surprisingly, the device transmitted a holographic image, which startled him. Squall squinted upon seeing the blurry illustration of what looked like Xu.

"Field Sergeant Leonhart, you are to meet in briefing room C at 0900. Do not be late!" Xu's voice said, as the hologram immediately cut off. Squall, still dreary and oblivious to what just happened blinked and stretched his eyelids, trying to relieve himself of the morning grogginess. He gave little thought to why he was summoned. He was a SeeD. He did what he was told, when he was told. It was just that simple. After prepping himself with a shower and a quick dress into black pants and a white t-shirt, he sorted and organized the mess Zell had left on his floor, and headed for the briefing room. It was not a smart idea to be tardy to meetings and appointments when it came to SeeD, especially being that this was his first actual summons.

As Squall entered briefing room C, he noticed a faculty member standing idly by the door, with Selphie sitting on the other side of a long, wooden conference table. She was fiddling around with her communication device, the same type that had woken him up earlier.

Selphie's expression lit up as she noticed Squall walk in. "Hey Squall!"

Squall gestured his head in acknowledgment. He did not welcome her perkiness so early in the morning, or any other time of day for that matter. "What's going on?" he asked, thinking maybe she knew more than he did.

Selphie shrugged, "I dunno, I was just told to meet here. Found this little nifty toy on my desk. I'm gonna hav'ta send my friend a message. She has something just like this." She said as she pushed the buttons chaotically.

The Garden faculty member pointed at Selphie, "Those devices are to be used for official SeeD purposes only." He demanded.

"Oh." Selphie replied in a thwarted manner. Squall knew the statement would draw the attention of the Garden faculty, who were so _'By the book'_ it even made him sick.

A few moments later, Zell stormed in the room with an infuriated expression on his face, and flopped down in one of the plush, dark blue chairs, "Zell, what's wrong?" Selphie asked, leaning across the table.

Zell sat with his arms crossed, "They confiscated my T-Board. I was just havin' a little fun right outside the front gate, and my little ring-a-ding thingy here started beeping. Then two steps inside the gate, _'T-Boards are not permitted on Garden grounds'_, and they just took it!" he exclaimed, before slamming his hand against the table, "Freakin' no good Garden faculty!"

"Excuse me!" a voice rang out behind Zell.

Zell looked behind him, "Wha, whoa!" Zell obviously wasn't aware of the faculty members presence, and was caught off guard, "Umm…" Zell replied flustered, rubbing the back of his head, trying to think of a way out of the present predicament.

Before he could think of an excuse, a veteran SeeD entered the room and stood off to the side, "Attention on deck!" he yelled, as Selphie, Zell and Squall shot to their feet. On cue, Headmaster Cid entered the room, followed by another veteran SeeD and a faculty member.

"At ease." Cid told them as he took his place in front up by the projection screen, "It appears everyone is here, so let's not waste anytime." He said with a smile, even though Squall could tell in Cid's expression that something was wrong.

The Garden faculty member began to speak, "Being that this is the first mission for each of you, you will be expected to uphold Balamb Garden's reputation to the fullest."

_"Here we go again…" _Squall thought as the faculty member spoke

"You are all SeeD's, but nevertheless. You are a direct reflection of this institution, and are expected to set a good example for others, and abide by Garden's rules."

Cid waited patiently for the faculty member to finish, then started the brief, "Onto the mission at hand. You will be traveling to country of Timber to assist a resistance faction, the Forest Owls."

Selphie chuckled, "The Forest Owls? That's a cheesy name." she stated.

"Nonetheless, you are to support them to the best of your abilities." Cid directed.

Zell shrugged, "How? By waving protest signs and screaming rebellious chants?"

"If that is what's asked of you, yes." Cid answered. Squall sat back in his seat, taking an aloof breath as he did.

"Something wrong, Field Sergeant Leonhart?" Cid asked in a curious manner after noticing Squall's indifferently opposing reaction.

Squall knew better than to question his superiors, even if the task appointed to him seemed lame and gratuitous, but he couldn't help it. He wasn't the type who became a SeeD just to sit around a collect a paycheck. He wanted some action, even if it did mean having to take more lives in the process. Squall just gave Cid a bitter stare, and shook his head.

"Just us three?" Selphie questioned in the midst of the silence.

"We have agreed to do this for very little money. Usually we would not accept such a request, but the Headmaster…" the Garden faculty member replied, before being interrupted by Cid.

"Enough talk about that." Cid said in a feverish manner, almost as if he were hiding something. "Well Squall, being that you are the highest ranking, you will be the squad leader." Cid finished and handed a thick folder with multiple packets of papers with mission details and information. The mission was being handled with little regard, as most mission briefs were done electronically, but seeing as the pay was so minimal, so was the effort that was being put into it.

"…_The forests of Timber sure have changed?_" Squall asked as he spotted the peculiar wordage on the form. "What is this supposed to be?" he asked waving the paper.

"It's a code. There will be a faction member by the staircase at the Timber station. When you hear that sentence, you must reply, _'…but the owls are still around._' That way, they'll know it's you." The faculty member explained, just as Squall read it from the paper.

Zell shrugged and raised his arms in uncertainty, "That's it? I thought SeeD was supposed to be all hi-tech and stuff. This is no better than child's play." He commented.

"Just keep your mouth shut, and follow your orders!" the faculty member demanded, pointing a harsh finger at Zell, who clenched his fist and bit his lip, seeing as he couldn't do much more than that.

Squall placed the papers back in the folder and glanced at the itinerary for the time of departure, "Well, if we're going to catch the noon train, we need to get ready." He said, looking at his watch, which read 0926.

Cid nodded, "Yes. Being prompt and organized is essential as a SeeD. This may not be a high profile client, but your every action reflects upon Balamb Garden's reputation. Remember that. Dismissed." Cid finished and walked off to the side of the room, speaking to the SeeD Captain.

Zell and Selphie stood up, stretched a moment and walked over to Squall who was organizing the mission files. "So, what up boss?" Zell questioned with a hint of cynicism.

Squall picked up the folder and ran a hand though his hair, "Go gather a few necessities and a couple change of clothes. We shouldn't be there any longer than three days. Meet me in the parking lot, fifteen minutes." Squall finished, Zell and Selphie both nodded and exited quietly.

As Squall headed towards the door, he was stopped short, "Oh, Squall, I almost forgot." The Headmaster called as he walked over to him, "I wanted to give you this." Cid spoke as he pulled out an object cloaked in scarlet, satin cloth.

Squall grabbed what Cid handed to him and partly uncovered it. "What is it?" he asked, glancing upon the tarnished gold lamp with eerie hieroglyphics.

"It's an artifact that was recovered from a reconnaissance mission we did awhile back. I was going to give it to Seifer when he graduated, but sadly, that did not happen." Cid explained, shaking his head in discontent. "Anyway, the writing on the side is in ancient Centran." He said as he ran his fingers along the foreign text, "I never did find out what it said, but it is rumored to bring forth a powerful Guardian Force. So, please be careful with it." He explained, whispering the last part into Squall's ear.

Squall gave Cid a wandering glance, and then looked back down at the lamp. Just holding the mysterious lamp in his hands made the hair on the back of his neck stand straight, and he had no clue why. He placed the cover back over the lamp, looked back at Cid who was smiling at him, saluted, and exited the briefing area.

Squall returned to his room to prepare for the trip, which from what he gathered from the files, seemed like it would only be a few days, so he packed four changes of clothes in his Garden supplied duffel bag, along with hygiene products and his journal. He didn't know what kind of danger lied ahead, but figuring it wouldn't be much more than protesting assistance, he decided to pack light. He loaded his gunblade and holstered it, along with equipping the remaining ammunition, which seemed to be just enough, but made a mental note to purchase more upon returning. He carried his reliable backup knife in his lapstrap, which he pretty much carried anywhere he went. He also decided to pack a five-inch flat blade that strapped to his forearm, just for emergency. Upon checking over everything once more, he left his room and headed to the parking lot. His first mission was underway.

* * *

**Monday, May 1st 4268**

**1000 hrs**

Basement Level 2A, one location in Garden no one wanted to visit. The Disciplinary room at Balamb Garden was the darkest and most unsettling place inside its walls. Unlike the rest of Garden, which was usually well lit and always colorful, the disciplinary room was dim, with gloomy, gray walls, a few holding cells, and in the center was a lengthy russet table with many chairs. At the table sat a number of people. Quistis was there as a subjective witness, and also because she was assigned as Seifer's instructor at the time of the incident. Xu was representative of the Headmaster, who only attended cases involving expulsion. One member of the Garden faculty and two senior SeeD's were all present for a single individual; Seifer Almasy.

Seifer slouched in the uncomfortable wooden chair with his arms crossed. He stared a hole right through Quistis, who wasn't the least bit intimidated. Seifer always had a particular fire in his eyes when looking at Quistis; a certain aspect that couldn't be pinpointed, but was definitely there.

Xu stood up, and looked over at the unruly blonde that sat across from her, "We will now begin the meeting, determining the disciplinary action taken against Seifer Almasy, student ID 96706..." she then sighed and looked over at him, "Is there anything you want to say before we begin?" she asked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact..." he asked as he leaned back, propping his feet up on the table and putting his hands behind his head, "...why am I here?" He asked obnoxiously, knowing full well the answer to the question. Xu grunted in disgust and sat down. SeeD Master Sergeant Randall walked over and knocked Seifer's feet off the desk without saying a word.

Seifer let out a small snicker, "Hey, I was comfortable."

As Seifer sat back in his chair once more, Quistis opened a manila folder, reviewing the case at hand, as well as past his many prior discrepancies. "Okay Seifer, this is the seventh board you've attended during you're tenure at Balamb Garden, your third for disobeying orders during an official SeeD field exam. So, what do you have to say for yourself?" she asked angrily, as if it were personal.

Seifer took off his coat, and draped it over the back of his chair, "Is it hot in here, instructor?" he again remarked sardonically.

"Will you take this serious Seifer, because it is! The charges against you include, disregarding orders set forth by a superior, endangering the lives of comrades as a result of your negligent conduct, and actions damaging to mission accomplishment." Quistis scolded, with Seifer not saying a word, just staring off to the side with a livid expression.

After collecting her composure, Quistis continued, "Seifer , you are almost overqualified to be a SeeD, a born leader, and an expert at one of the most unique weapons in the world. But the fact is, you will never become a SeeD with this reputation. I mean, doesn't this concern you?" she asked, almost sympathetically.

"No, instructor! Or should I say, _former_ instructor. What concerns me is how people like that chicken-shit, Dincht, become SeeD's, and I get punished for being the hero. If you ask me, you've all got some warped principles." He finished.

"Zell had a very high field rating, Seifer." Xu answered, "And more importantly, he followed the orders assigned to him!"

Seifer shot out of his seat, "I did follow the orders, damn it! Up until we were ordered to stand by in Dollet Square! If it weren't for me, we'd never know what that crazy fucker Deling was up to. I should be rewarded, not reprimanded. If you all weren't so resentful, you might realize that!" Seifer protested.

Xu stood up in frustration, "Don't be so god damn arrogant Seifer! If it weren't for you, we might have spared unneeded casualties! You caused an upward of two hundred million gil worth of damage, which doesn't do much for SeeD's reputation. You're inattentive and shameless, and will never be a SeeD!" Xu exclaimed furiously.

Quistis stood up, and walked over to her irate friend, "Xu, please…calm down."

Xu took a deep breath, "I...I'm sorry. I was out of line."

Seifer leered heatedly at Xu, "It's nice to know you care, Xu. If you want to punish me for saving your asses, go right ahead, and stop wasting my time!"

Xu rubbed her forehead, the hassle of dealing with the problematic Seifer was trying her patience, "If you don't wish to comply, you can always spend a few nights down here. Would you rather have that?"

Seifer scanned the area, not particularly upbeat on the thought of being imprisoned, but unwilling to admit he was wrong, "If that's what I have to do. If I have to be a martyr for my cause, so be it."

Quistis stood up, with her possessions in hand. She glanced at Seifer, unable to comprehend what was going through his mind. She shook her head, not able to put into words what she was thinking. She felt a certain compassion for him, but letting him know that would only anger him more. She instead chose to leave the room before she showed him any sign of weakness. Seifer seemed unusually quiet as Quisits left the room. He wouldn't admit it, but he wanted her there. He needed someone that might understand him, and she seemed like his only hope. Seifer stared back at Xu, who was taking care of some concluding formalities.

"Student number 96706, Seifer Eugene Almasy, you are hereby sentenced under Garden code, article 164D, to remain confined until further proceedings, do you understand your sentence?" Xu asked in a monotone voice.

Seifer stood up slowly, and threw his coat over his shoulder, "I'm a big boy, I can figure it out." He replied smartly. Xu shook her head and groaned as she gathered her files and walked toward the exit along with the two senior SeeD's. The Garden faculty along with the one of the SeeD guards approached Seifer, who stared at them with his hands on his hips.

"You will be made as an example. No one will try to pull a stunt like that again! You're a disgrace to Balamb Garden!" the Garden faculty member stated crudely.

Seifer walked towards the faculty member, the SeeD guard stepping in front to prevent Seifer from attacking. Seifer stopped in his tracks, and bit back a laugh, "Such hostility, especially from one of Garden's guinea pigs."

"We are hardly guinea pigs. NORG will soon take charge, and we will run Garden the way it should be run." He stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

Seifer looked at him bewildered, "NORG? Is that your little imaginary friend who puts you to sleep every night?" Seifer shot back in mocking fashion.

"You're denial and disrespect will not be forgotten. Now if you will please escort this cadet to his cell, I will be on my way." He said, as the SeeD carefully approached Seifer, who thought it best to comply seeing as how the SeeD guard, although portly, had a Guardian Force, and he had no way to defend himself. He walked into the cell, the steel bars shuddering behind him as they closed.

"Get comfortable, you'll be here for awhile." The guard said with a pretentious smirk.

Seifer walked up to the cell as the SeeD secured the lock. "Are we allowed conjugal visits?" he joked to the slightly overweight man, who just shot him a glare, and walked back to the guard post. Seifer strolled to the center of the cell, taking a deep breath as he measured up the cell.

"Hmm, roomy." He said to himself, then walked over and sat on the edge of the metal post bed. He reached in his inside coat pocket, pulling out a gold coin. It was his good luck charm, something that he carried with him everywhere he went. He was the only person that knew the true value of the coin, at least, the only person who was still living that knew. Legend had it that it unlocked a powerful Guardian Force, one that granted whoever controlled it the ability to control the celestial powers of Hyne's high priest, _Alexander_. He didn't know how true the myth was, and was not one to buy into folklore, but his gut instinct told him there was some truth behind it, and one day he would find out for sure.

He began to flip the coin in the air out of pure boredom, and walked over towards the small sink and toilet, which were unsanitary in every sense of the word. The repulsive odor of piss and mildew lingered through the cell with the stench of old ammonia, which merely masked the smell, but did nothing in making it any more hygienic. Seifer shook his head in, walked over to the wall and leaned against it, staring off into the guard shack where the two SeeD guards were conversing over sports scores and current events. He dreaded the very thought of having to sit on his ass all day, which was somewhat common, especially for junior personnel during peacetime. When SeeD's weren't deployed on missions, they were assigned mundane duties such as ground guards, receptionists, visitor escorts and other boring chores. That was one aspect of SeeD Seifer didn't find all that glamorous.

_Could SeeD offer him the life he was searching for, or was he destined for bigger things?_ He pondered that very question everyday, but at that moment, the only thing in his foreseeable future was the gloomy, grey walls of his cell.

* * *

**Monday, May 1st 4268**

**1117 hrs**

"Pleeeaaaaaassssssseeeeee!"

Squall was never one to fly off the handle, but Zell was pushing it. His sick fascination with his gunblade was getting on Squall's last nerve, and Selphie's singing wasn't making things any better. He had half hoped he had taken a vehicle with a working radio. Instead he listened to Zell and Selphie argue about who's weapon was more lethal, which ultimately lead to Zell pestering to see his gunblade.

"What's the big deal Squall? If you let me use you're gunblade for one battle, I'll let ya try out my gloves!" he asked annoyingly.

If there was anything Squall was protective of, it was his ring, his necklace, and his gunblade. And even more than that, the mere thought of Zell even touching his gunblade frightened him, "Forget it Zell!" Squall demanded.

Zell sat back and pouted, "Well fine then Mr. Grumpy, you can't see my gloves...ever!" he stated humorously. A few minutes later to Squall's relief, the group reached Balamb City. The SeeD duty driver dropped the group off in the town square, just two blocks from where the Lexington Line Train Station was located. The Lexington Line was the world's largest transcontinental railroad company, and they promised and delivered the fastest means of ground transportation known to man. It was able to travel at exceptionally high speeds due to their distinctly made engines and thrusters, and a gas formula known as HyOctane-5, which was designed specifically for use of transcontinental trains. It was a major business, especially in Balamb, since people couldn't really afford to fly or were just afraid to, so the Lexington Line was the primary means of getting off the island.

Squall could feel the eyes of countless Balamb residents eying him as soon as he stepped out of the Garden vehicle. If there was one thing Balamb was famous for, it was Balamb Garden and its SeeD program. SeeD's were world-renowned because of their use proficient use of Guardian Forces and para-magic, which other Garden's and military academies found unconventional. So special recognition was given to SeeD's all over the world.

An attendant walked up to the group and smiled, "Where are you SeeD's off to now? Are you going off to fight some war?" he questioned, just trying to make conversation.

"Nah, we're off to Timber. No war there, but I'm sure we'll see some action!" Zell exclaimed.

Squall winced at Zell's indiscretion by revealing mission information, "ZELL!" he demanded, shooting a glare of frustration at the blonde teen.

Zell put his hand on his mouth, realizing his blunder, "Oooh! Sorry." Zell had a habit of blurting, and whether he realized it or not, it could eventually lead to disastrous results. He waved them onward, walking down the street towards the train station.

There were many teenagers, some the same age as Squall, standing off to the side, watching them walk down the street. He felt as if he were a famous movie star, and fans were admiring them. There was something about the danger of their profession that made people, especially youths, freeze in their presence, and while Selphie and Zell loved the extra attention, Squall couldn't stand it. But it seemed no matter what he did or where he went, attention seemed to follow him.

As they reached the end of the long road, Zell stopped. "I'm gonna see if Mama wants anything, she loves Timber tomatoes." He said, seeing as the town square was just near his mother's residence.

"I wanna say hi, too!" Selphie exclaimed. Squall's eyes wandered, looking for a brief separation from his party. It's not that he didn't like them, but he figured he was going to be spending the next few days with Zell and Selphie, so he certainly didn't need to be with them everywhere they went . Looking around, he noticed **_'Rog's Guns n' Swords'_**, a conveniently placed weapon shop, in the shopping center.

"I'll be right over here. Meet by the ticket counter in fifteen minutes." He ordered and walked towards the small shop. He walked in, noticing immediately how shabby the store actually was. The inside was rundown, with dim lighting and splintering wooden beams, and on the wall hung rusty old battle-axes and long swords. Squall figured it wasn't worth the time to even look around, so he started heading out the door, before being suddenly called back.

"How can I help you, son?" an old man questioned from behind the counter.

Squall stopped, and shook his head, "Nothing." He replied and continued out.

"That's a nice gunblade ya got there." He explained, limping towards the counter slowly. "I can modify if you'd like, give it some real power."

"You can do that?"

The man laughed a bit, and reached under the counter, grabbing a dusty red hardback, "Why so surprised? I used to be in the G-Army, before all the sorceress hoopla."

Squall found himself intrigued, "You were a gunblade specialist?" he asked the old man.

"My goodness, no! Gunblades were considered to be much too time consuming and expensive, therefore it was written out as a regulation G-Army weapon. I have done extensive research on it though. The weapon quite frankly, amazes me. Its astonishing meeting someone so young that can wield it. I've known men who've spent years training with it, only to give up." He explained, leaning over the counter, fixated on the weapon, "May I see it?" he asked.

Squall took a moment to ponder the question. He knew that if he wanted an upgrade, he would have to be able to trust the old vet. He slowly unbuckled the holster, sliding the long blade out. The old man was drawn to its design, not seeing anything quite like it. Squall grabbed the dull end of the blade with the other hand, and carefully handed it over.

The man seemed to be in awe as he ran his hand along the gunblade's exceptional design. "Fascinating! I've seen a few gunblade's in my time, but this one is different. This blade is much more broad, and the handle on this is shaped like a revolver, rather than a pistol…Pin gun, magnaport compensators and muzzle brakes to reduce recoil and shock…Slide lighteners and custom grip for maneuverability. This is one hell of a gunblade!"

Squall watched as the man continued to admire it, but he knew time was short, and he needed to get to Timber. "So, can you upgrade it?"

The man seemed somewhat annoyed, as if Squall had just interrupted him in the middle of a reunion. "Yes, I could...but unfortunately I do not have many supplies here, especially for gunblade upgrades. However, if you were to bring me some Mesmerize metal, I could make your blade much more powerful."

Squall knew Mesmerize metal would be hard to attain, especially since he didn't have as much free time as he once had. He grabbed his gunblade and sheathed it, "We'll see." He said as he turned around and headed out of the shop.

The old man nodded and waved, "Take your time, I'll be here" he yelled as Squall exited. Squall walked around the corner and towards the train station ticket counter. As he approached, he noticed Selphie and Zell leaning against the wall by a small fruit market.

Upon seeing Squall, Zell threw his hands in the air, "Well, well. Where have you been Mr. Always on time?" Zell said as he took a huge bite out of a pear. "Me ..nd Selph ha...bee wa...ing, and you..." He muttered with a full mouth, until a piece got lodged in his throat.

Selphie patted his back, "Zell, Zell...are you okay?" she said, watching as he coughed up the pear he was choking on.

Zell breathed heavily, "Man, must have been a rotten pear."

Squall shook his head, and buried his head in his hand. _'Oh brother, I have to deal with this the whole trip!'_ Squall thought tediously to himself. He walked past the two briskly, "Let's go." He told them sternly, and they obediently followed. They continued past the shops with their luggage in tow, until finally reaching the train station ticket counter. Squall walked up to the counter, and was greeted immediately by a enthusiastic young man.

"Welcome to the Lexington Line Train Station, getting you where you need to go for the past forty-five years. How can I help you today?" the man jived.

"We're with Garden." Squall replied, handing the man the itinerary for the pre-purchased tickets. The man printed off the boarding passes and the keycard to the SeeD reserved cabin.

"Okay, here are you're passes, please check your baggage at the front. Good luck on your mission." The man stated kindly, as Squall nodded and mad his way over to attendant, as all three handed their luggage over, and continued over to board the train. Squall walked up to the young blonde female who was checking tickets and handed her the train passes. She reviewed them carefully, and then looked at Squall.

"You're a SeeD?" she questioned.

Squall nodded, "That's right."

A huge smile formed on her face as he answered, "Oh, that's great! I met a guy a few weeks back, and he is a cadet at Garden. His name is Seifer, I think...do you now him?"

Squall glowered at the names mention, and quickly snatched the tickets out of her hand, to her surprise. "No…I don't!" he demanded as he boarded the train quickly, with his two colleagues trailing him.

Zell stopped to console the girl, who seemed to be offended, "Don't worry about him, he's just mad cuz they made me squad leader." He bragged. As he walked forward, he noticed Selphie staring at him with a smirk. "Umm...This can be our little secret, right?" he asked, pleadingly.

She raised an eyebrow at him, "We'll see." She answered jokingly, and walked on the train with Zell, the train doors closing behind them. The attendant hit the switch, causing the automatic arm in front of the train to rise.

**"All aboard!**** Next stop: Timber!"**

* * *

**Monday, May 1st 4268**

**1622 hrs**

Almost four and a half hours had passed, and Squall still hadn't been able to organize the files he had been given. Instead of computerized information, or even neatly organized spreadsheets and folders, he was handed a blundered mess of what was supposed to be crucial mission information. His specialty wasn't paperwork either, so he didn't even know where to begin. He tried to read through each profile and situation summary individually, but every unstapled packet had a page that was either missing or out of place. What was the point of accepting a mission if all aspects were going to be handled so poorly? Squall would have found it much more suitable for them to have one page that simply stated their main objective, which hadn't even been made clear at the brief. _Go to Timber and support a resistance faction_…it didn't get much vaguer than that.

Zell and Selphie on the other hand were having the time of their life. Zell had found entertainment the same way he always did, sparring with an invisible opponent, honing the various fighting skills he had learned through the years. All cadets were required to master at least two styles of close-quarter combat. Zell on the other hand, who was a combat specialist, was required to master six, but had mastered eight, including Tae-kwon-do, judo, street fighting, kickboxing and Jeet-Kune-Do. He enjoyed his craft a little too much though, always practicing and showing it off, which Squall found annoying.

Selphie was entertained simply by staring out the window, watching as the train passed through the water tunnel that ran through the sea between Balamb and Galbadia. She wasn't as ditzy and one-dimensional as she seemed though. Reading through her Garden profile, he learned she was actually quite the intellectual, with extensive training in mechanical and computer engineering, cryptology, and code breaking. It also noted that she was quite lethal with her nuchuakus, but still had some learning to do as far as Guardian Forces and para-magic. Squall understood why though, seeing as she had just transferred from Trabia Garden, which didn't use GF's, and probably only received a crash course on junctioning and utilizing them.

Squall's job as leader was to best utilize the SeeD's he had command of to the best of their own respective abilities. He knew well what his strengths and weaknesses were, but still needed to analyze them. Squall was much like Zell in that he specialized in close quarter combat, but his main specialty, obviously, was with his gunblade. He had mastered many sword techniques such as _Eskrima_, which employed sticks, swords, daggers, and empty handed techniques, but the gunblade had its own style as well, seeing as if someone tried to use if just like a sword would break their wrists doing so. He had also learned three styles of CQC, and had proficient knowledge in worldwide military tactics and history, biology, and was fluent in three different languages. All three were more than capable of handling more than a scanty mission such as that, but were disciplined enough not to argue that fact.

As Squall continued to examine the papers, Zell stopped after performing a jumping spinkick, and wiped the sweat from his face, "Man, I'm hungry!"

Selphie, who had been watching Zell for a few minutes, chuckled. She walked over to the minifridge and began digging through it, finding a fridge full of complimentary fruits and drinks. "Tell me about it! Look how much stuff is in here!"

Zell walked over behind Selphie, trying to get a glimpse, "Any hot dogs?"

"Is that all you think about? There are foods other than hot dogs." Selphie replied.

Zell shrugged, "Yeah, but nothin' better."

"Gimme a break…well, if you guys need me, I'll be hanging out here, 'kay?" Selphie said pointing to the door as she walked back out, putting her headphones back on to listen to her music.

Zell turned around and began walking back towards the plush, dark red couch that ran the entire length of the back wall. Sitting down, he noticed Squall's aggravated demeanor as he continued reading through the unsorted file, "Why don't you chill out for a little Squall, we're not gettin' to Timber for awhile."

"As the leader, I am required to review all mission data." He answered in a business-like tone.

"Relax. Protests don't require much thought. We hold up some signs, do a few chants, and were back home before ya know it!"

Squall glanced over at the short blonde martial artist. As much as Squall hated to admit it, Zell had a point. He still felt a little groggy from his abrupt wake up call earlier that morning, and the prior Friday's events had left him slightly weary and sore. He undid his belt, lying his trusty gunblade down beside him, and stretched out his back.

He walked over towards the couch as Zell began to gaily bounce up and down. "Heh-heh! This is so comfortable!"

"…I'm glad you're so excited." Squall told Zell with his hands on his hips.

Zell nodded rapidly with a smile from ear to ear. He shifted his body down the length of the couch, towards the end table. "They even have magazines here." he exclaimed, grabbing one from the top of the pile, "Pet pals? Ehh, not my kinda read." He said, tossing it back on the pile.

Squall sat down on the other end of the couch, trying to keep a secure distance from his rowdy comrade, "I don't think they have comic books here."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Squall knew how easily Zell became frustrated, as he sometimes took comments a bit too seriously. "Nothing." Squall replied and shifted his attention.

Zell moved back towards the center, closer to Squall, causing him squirm in his seat, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the vicinity at which Zell was sitting. "This is pretty damn amazing; it pays to be a member of SeeD!" He looked over at Squall who was lying backwards, with his hands over his face, shielding his eyes from the synthetic lights in the cabin, "Squall, ya know anything 'bout Timber?" Zell asked, interrupting Squall's relaxation.

Squall peeked at Zell through his open fingers. He really didn't know much about Timber, other than the fact that it had been occupied primarily of G-Army soldiers and faction members. President Deling was a power fiend, wanting the whole country to bow at his whim, and when Timber refused, he decided to take the town from the people. He seen first-hand the devastation the president and his army caused in Dollet, and he wasn't looking forward to anything similar.

"Not too much." He answered, knowing Zell had a full elucidation for him.

"Thought so, let me fill you in. Timber used to be a country surrounded by deep forests. But eighteen years ago, the newly appointed president, the sick bastard you know as Vinzer Deling, ordered Galbadia to invade as he did to so many other sovereign countries on the continent. There are a few countries that managed to defend their independence, but Timber fell quite easily to Galbadia, so now it is under Galbadian occupation."

Squall was flabbergasted over how much Zell actually knew. "And…" he said jokingly, not knowing there actually was more.

"Well, like I said, Timber fell quite easily, but they weren't too fond of the new bylaws and restrictions that had been placed on them, and many decided to take up arms and fight back, forming resistance factions, big and small. They've hardly made a dent in how things are run, but there have been a few assassination attempts on Deling, which have been linked to Timber resistance factions. Deling deployed ground forces to Timber to weed out such factions, but are causing more harm than good." Zell told him, pulling a loose thread off one of his gloves.

"How do you know all of this?" Squall questioned.

"I'm a history buff." Zell joked with a smirk, tapping his temple.

"Yeah, and I'm a party animal. Thanks." Squall replied sarcastically.

Zell became excited over Squall's interest in what he had to say, "No prob. Hey, ya wanna hear about this move I'm practicin'? It's called the Dolphin Blow and its…" Zell explained eagerly before he was stopped by Squall.

"Some other time Zell." He said, returning to his resting position. Zell felt somewhat let down, but decided to get up and practice a few more moves to pass the time.

Moments later, Selphie walked back inside the cabin, appearing a bit dazed. One of her small hands was resting on her forehead, and she appeared a bit flush. "I'm not...feeling well..." she said, with a bit of a whimper in her voice.

Squall opened his eyes, noticing Selphie abnormally pale form, "You should get some rest if you're tired. It's going to be a long trip." He stated as he sat upright.

"I'm…really sleepy..." Selphie replied as she stumbled ahead like a zombie. Squall and Zell stood up in unison, both knowing something wasn't quite right.

"You okay?" Squall questioned, walking slowly over to Selphie.

"Hey...?" Zell started, before his body suddenly quaked in fatigue "Huh?" he questioned, starting to yawn uncontrollably along with Selphie.

Squall backed up a bit, accessing the unique situation. "What the...?" he questioned, stunned as to what was happening.

"Somethin's wrong with me, too...I...feel...really..." Zell forced out through his long yawn, while his eyes flickered between open and closed. Zell and Selphie hung onto each other, until they both collapsed softly, asleep before they even hit the floor.

"What's going on?" Squall jumped back, surveying the room for anything unusual. He glanced around the room, at the vents and various other openings in the room, looking for any sign of sleeping gas or something similar. Unexpectedly, Squall felt a tingling sensation in the back of his head "Ugh?...What is this?" Squall questioned aloud, as he began to stumble in exhaustion. He struggled to stay on his feet, but to no avail. He fell to one knee, then to both. He crawled forward a few feet before everything began to blur. With one final attempt, Squall reached ahead, trying desperately to regain his composure. As everything went black, he fell to the ground, about to have an experience like no other.

* * *

**Monday, May 1st 4268**

**1853 hrs**

Seifer leaned back against the concrete wall that restrained him, propping one leg up on the wall to support his frame. He flipped his gold coin in the air repeatedly, looking through the steel bars in monotony. He refused to regret the decision he made, but he was almost brain-dead with boredom. He hated not having a thing to do, which was another thing he shared in common with Squall; both continuously keeping active, seeking refuge from their own minds.

He sighed, too much from his past was coming to mind. His feelings, which he never paid much attention to, all flooded his head. He hated it. His mind was the only prison colder than the one that physically confined him. He pushed himself off the wall, bouncing up and down lightly, trying to shake his head clear of the flashes of distant memories, some of which were too painful to recollect. Through his years at Garden, he had managed to disregard a lot of his past. He had assumed it was because of his constant training and pro-active lifestyle, but there were still some he couldn't forget, and probably never would. He knelt down, clasping his hand over his eyes. A vivid memory played in his mind, but one that he was actually fond of. It had been just over a year since it happened; a chance encounter with someone he held dear to him, at least at one point. Until then, he never cared deeply for another individual's welfare, but she changed that.

Lost in thought with his eyes closed, the sound of his cell bars sliding open startled him. Assuming it was one of the guards preparing to do a routine search of the cell, he stood up slowly and opened his eyes, still turned from the individual that entered his cell. He lifted his arms, and spread his legs. "I know the routine, but please be gentle, I'm a sensitive person." Seifer complied cockily.

"This is exactly the attitude that always gets you in trouble." The soft voice replied, somewhat sternly.

Seifer sighed and dropped his pose, turning slowly towards the familiar voice. "And that's the voice that haunts me in my sleep. What is it instructor, come to bask in my misery, or did you drop by to say hello?"

The cold steel then slammed raucously behind Quistis. She looked around the cell, taking notice of how depressing the unit actually was. "Seifer, you need to open your eyes, and see that this isn't a game. You are going to be expelled if you do not own up to your actions."

Seifer laughed, "They've been threatening to kick me out of here since I was ten. Actions speak louder than words; you should know that."

"You're not a child anymore Seifer, and the Garden Faculty's patience are wearing thin. They are beginning to think you'll never change. Cid is starting to lose faith in you as well." Quistis shot at Seifer in a pleading voice.

Seifer nodded, with a cocky smirk, "Oh yes, our dear Headmaster. He's done so much for me already."

"Seifer, why do you think you're still here? The Garden Faculty wanted to expel you. It was the Headmaster who took the heat for you, and he's the reason you're still here." She explained. Even though Cid hadn't fought for her job, she knew he wasn't responsible for her dismissal, but it taken her awhile to remember what kind of person Cid was. He was always willing to help people any way he could, and put the welfare of his cadet's and SeeD before his own. Quistis had actually modeled her professionalism around his methods, and even though she was no longer an instructor, knew it wasn't her methods that needed work.

Seifer gasped in another laugh, not taking her words very seriously. "All that fat degenerate cares about is himself and his precious gil. Don't preach to me about his good intentions!"

"Damn it Seifer, when are you going to realize the world does not revolve around you! Cid didn't have to help you. He wanted to see you become a man; a man that whether you want to admit it or not, he helped to mold! He gave you more opportunities than you would have ever gotten without him."

"Well here I am Quistis, his wonderful creation! If that's the case, put him down here with me…his god damn mold!" Seifer spoke with spite in his voice.

"…Seifer, you're still your own person, and you make your own decisions. You are brash and egocentric, and you're becoming more of an expense to Garden with all the problems you cause. Garden doesn't need cadets who don't want to be here." She stated calmly, but ardently.

"They need me a whole hell of a lot than I need them. If they kick me out, so be it!" He shot back aggressively, causing the SeeD guards to take notice.

Quistis put her hand up to signal everything was alright, and focused back on Seifer. "And where will you go! All of you're friends…for Hyne's sake, your entire life is here! You think you are just gonna leave here and everything is just going to fall into place. Well wake up Seifer, fate isn't so kind!"

Seifer turned away, and rested his forehead against the hard concrete wall of the cell, "Are you finished? I don't need a lecture from a failed ex-instructor with too much time on her hands!" Quistis smirked, knowing Seifer's insults meant he didn't know what to say. She knew that he was definitely contemplating the crude wisdom she had just bestowed upon him. She didn't want to see him fall into the same fate so many before him had, and hoped maybe she had done the job.

"Just, think about what I said." She said as she walked out, the cell bars slamming right behind her. What was there to think about though? Nothing she said was going to change the person he was. He knew he had been wrong on many occasions, but right or wrong, it was always done his way. If he felt adamantly about something, he went with it, no matter what anyone told him. Dollet was one of those cases where he knew he had to take charge, and in this case, some good did come from it. Sacrifices were made, but to Seifer, he felt that it was worth it. Vinzer Deling was a bully, and Seifer wasn't about to stand down and let him win.

In Seifer's mind, he had done the right thing; and no one would tell him differently.

* * *

**Monday, May 1st 4268**

**1929 hrs**

It had been another long day, but nothing he wasn't really used to. Seifer's court martial had went smoothly, aside from the fact that Seifer had shown no form of cooperation, and again shown no remorse for what he had done. Still, Cid expected nothing less of the blonde maverick, knowing full well it would come this. His expulsion was still pending, but for now he was locked away like no-good felon. Cid wasn't fond to that fact though. Seifer had been locked up before, whether on room restriction or on lockdown in the basement, and nothing had changed, he still exhibited the same self-centered patterns that got in there in the first place. No, that wasn't the answer, and Cid knew that, but NORG was either too stubborn or too lazy to see that. It was time for a new approach, one that Seifer would respond to.

Like everyday, he had at least one Garden faculty member nipping at his heels, acting as NORG's eyes and ears. Usually, Cid had nothing to hide, but the business he had tonight was personal, and was no business of NORG's, the Garden faculty or anyone else for that matter. Cid had slipped out from under the faculty's radar, and made his way up to his office. Upon arriving, he walked toward his door as Xu exited.

"Where is he?" Cid asked quietly, as if someone were secretly listening.

"He's waiting in your office." Xu replied, cupping her hands around her mouth.

"Xu, I want no disruptions…from anyone. Understood?" Cid commanded, expecting a check-up from the pesky faculty, who was undoubtedly searching for him by now.

"Yes, Headmaster." Xu answered. With that, the Headmaster entered, closing and locking the door behind him. Before he even turned, a voice spoke out.

"Headmaster Kramer." The friendly voice greeted, as he turned to see a black-haired man in a recognizable white uniform standing next to one of his decorative statues, bowing his head.

Cid smiled as he walked forward, and exchanged SeeD salutes. "Locke, how are you today?"

"I am well. Just wish I was visiting under better circumstances." The man named Locke replied.

"Have you heard anything?" Cid questioned eagerly.

Locke shook his head sorrowfully, "No. We have not yet discovered the whereabouts of Deling or your wife. Intelligence reports they are not in the capital and are currently on the move. To where though, remains uncertain." Locke replied, and knelt on the ground before the Headmaster. "You have my deepest sympathies, Headmaster. We have failed you, as well as her."

"No. Edea would've wanted to go peacefully before seeing any of you killed." Cid responded understandingly.

"But that is our duty…we would've all given our lives to save her." Locke vowed.

"I know, but there is no need to dwell on it. What's done is done, now we just focus on what to do next." Cid explained. "The best thing you can do right now is stay at sea, as far away from Galbadia as possible. They have Edea, chances are they may want Ellone also. That is your primary objective now, keeping Ellone safe." He instructed.

"Do you think they are aware of Ellone's abilities?" Locke questioned.

"If they know of Edea's, they probably know of Elle's as well."

"Don't worry, Ellone is safe with us."

"I trust she is." Cid nodded.

"She tends to wonder off on her own a lot, though. Just like she did Friday night." Locke informed Cid.

"What happened?" Cid asked curiously.

"I guess she spotted someone she knew, and excused herself from Quentin's company. When I noticed she was gone, we went looking for her, and found her in the training center, and was almost attacked by a fiend." Locke explained, as Cid's eyes widened. "You can rest assured, nothing like that will happen again." Locke promised, but Cid still seem upset.

"Why didn't you tell me of this earlier?" he asked. He was very protective of the young woman, as a father would be of a daughter.

Locke bowed his head apologetically. "I didn't want to worry you. She was lucky that young man was there to help." Locke told him, hoping Cid wouldn't be too angry with him. Just as Cid began to speak again, he stopped as a thought crossed his mind.

"Squall…" Cid murmured in realization. She was looking for someone…the young man, it had to be Squall. She hadn't accidentally wandered in, she went in looking for him; there was no doubt in his mind. Cid had informed her that he did indeed live there, but how had she identified him? She hadn't seen him in over twelve years, and he had changed from an innocent child to a valiant young man since.

"Excuse me?" Locke asked as he heard the Headmaster breathe the voice.

Cid took a deep breath, "I know exactly who she was looking for." He answered, as Locke looked on in wonderment. "It's not relevant right now though. You must leave tonight. I would not be surprised if the Galbadian Naval force deployed spy ships to keep an eye on us. Deling knows we are searching for Edea, and are safeguarding Ellone. The last thing we need is a war with the G-Army."

"I understand Headmaster, we will depart immediately. We will keep you informed of any news we receive." Locke stated.

Cid nodded, "And I will do the same." he said, and extended a hand, with Locke acknowledging the gesture with a handshake. "Go in peace Locke, and be careful."

"We will not fail you again, Headmaster…" Locke spoke, and saluted Cid. "I promise."

* * *

Yeppers, added a bunch of new stuff here. Well, here we go… 

**Inside Look**

One of my main objectives is giving the characters and plot a whole other dimension of depth, as well as explain things better than they were in the game. The men in white will be in it A LOT more than they are in the game. Just like Peptuck, I would've loved to have seen them used more in the game, but this is my chance to make them shine, and I will. And if you noticed, I mean EVERYTHING will get another volume; Guardian Force's, NORG and anything else I think should be expanded upon.

If you noticed, I included Jeet-Kune-Do one of Zell's martial art styles, which was invented by Bruce Lee, one of the baddest-asskicker's ever…in our world at least.

Also, the dates. I just began this and will continue it throughout, unless I get negative feedback…yey or ney, you tell me.

A few other things, the widely known currency in all Final Fantasies is Gil. How does Gil compare to say, the dollar bill? Well, in my story, it's quite simple:

2000 Gil is equivalent to $200. So just slide that decimal over one and you got yerself some Gil!

I know I included how SeeD ranks work in my story, but I noticed a few ranks were missing or out of order when I posted. So…

Here is a list of SeeD ranks, again:

**_S1 Lance Corporal_**

**_S2 Corporal 2nd Class_**

**_S3 Corporal 1st Class_**

**_S4 Field Sergeant_**

**_S5 Staff Sergeant_**

**_S4S Specialist 3rd Class_**

**_S5S Specialist 2nd Class (Specialist ranks only given to those who are experts in their field)_**

**_S6S Specialist 1st Class _**

**_SI Instructor_****_ (Special Rank)_**

**_S6 Master Sergeant_**

**_S7 Chief_**

**_S8 Master Chief_**

**_S9 Chief of SeeD Operations_**

**_SO1 Field Captain_**

**_S02 Captain_**

**_SO3 Vice General_**

**_SO4 General_**

**_Commander_**

There, that's more like it. I know there was one more thing I wanted to explain, but I had a brainfart, so I'll get back to ya. Okay, moving on…

**Prodigy's Corner**

**DBZ Fanfiction Queen**: We'll see about Cid, but this chapter had lot's of original flava! Whaddya think?

**Kaiser**: No, not the Kaiser's wrath. That chapter will be out by the end of the month. It's already done, just needs revised and some extra stuff will most likely be added. I like doing sci-fi and action chapters, but the majority of them are on the 2nd and especially 3rd disc. Cant wait for that, but you'll see a lot before that too. That's a good idea about Nida though, I will use something like that, and give you the credit for the inspiration. ;)

**Kagome-incarnation**: A new fan, always nice to see a new fan! Hope ya like it, and keep reading!

**Noacat** Very happy to hear you like it. Yes, lots of men in white to come!

Next chapter is the dream sequence, and is extended, and in the process of getting longer. So next chapter might be out by next Thursday, but don't be surprised to see it come out Saturday, or Sunday at the latest. Anyway, thanks for reading, and a big thanks for those who reviewed. Until next chappy…

**Prodigy**


	9. Dreamworld: What Dreams May Come Pt I

**Dreamworld**

**_What Dreams May Come_**

**_Part I_**

His vision was still obscured as his eyes slowly opened. Through his blurred sight, he made out two figures beside him, which he assumed to be Zell and Selphie. Moments passed, and his vision began to clear up, the environment around him becoming partially distinguishable. Tall grass and weeds covered the woodland, and rain was softly falling on the muddy path, creating larger puddles with each fallen droplet. Hints of sunlight crept through the leaved branches of the many trees and vines that hung overhead, gleaming off the water-laden trail. For some odd reason, Squall sensed a particular urgency in his gut, but had no clue as to what was even happening. 

In the distance, destructive outbursts of explosions could be heard, mixed with frenzied screams and gunfire, as distant thoughts of the field exam in Dollet ran rampant in the back of his mind. Baffled as to what was going on and to where he was, he surveyed the area even closer, not at all recognizing the area that lied before him. The last he thing he remembered was being on the train, and Zell and Selphie passing out, and he too succumbing to whatever force was present. _Was it a dream?_ No, it was too real to be a dream, but just as weird as any he'd ever had. He could hear and see everything so vividly, that he knew it was real, _wasn't it?_ Thinking maybe Zell or Selphie might have an idea as to what was going on, he attempted to call out, but surprisingly, he couldn't. He could hear himself fine, but his lips weren't moving. Inexplicably, he noticed he was moving at a rapid pace, even though he had made no attempt to move anywhere. Suddenly, something became very evident to Squall.

He wasn't in control of his body. It made sense, not being able to talk, and moving against his will, only able to see and hear the environment around him. Something had control of him, but _what_ was the bigger question. As he regained full vision, he noticed the two figures with him were definitely _not_ Zell and Selphie. One was a massive, white-skinned man, carrying a large harpoon with a thick steel ring and a sharpened spear on the tail end. He had one of the burliest frames Squall had ever seen on a man, with Galbadian Army enlisted blue BDU's, that looked a bit outdated, a filth covered blue bandana wrapped around his forehead, and a scar that ran the entire length of the left side of his face. The other was slender, with dark skin and flat-topped, black hair, with long, razor-sharp katals in each hand, dressed in similar Galbadian armor.

That was the answer, at least in Squall's mind. He knew it had to be an ambush of some sort, and that they were probably planning on using him as a hostage. The Galbadian Army and Balamb Garden hadn't been on good terms in years, mainly because Garden was opposed to Vinzer Deling, who was ruthless, seeking occupancy and complete supremacy over all countries of the once diplomatic continent.

Again, without any control, his head moved; his eyes now focused downwardly. What he saw when he looked down was beyond his imagination. He first noticed the black assault rifle in his cloth-taped hands, in which, _his hands,_ were loading. He then noticed his attire, which was the same G-Army attire as the two soldiers he was accompanied by. Then, as his body knelt down by a nearby puddle, his hands splashed water in his face, and he was stunned as he caught his reflection in the watery mirror. The eyes and face seemed somewhat similar to his own, but it definitely wasn't him, also noticing that short strands of black hair had replaced his long brown ones. His body shot up and ran ahead of the other two, his current form putting his hands on his hips and tapping his boots in the heavy mud.

From behind him, one of the men he was with tapped him on the shoulder, "Uhh, Laguna?" Squall heard a voice call from behind him. He could sense his head nodding as his form acknowledged the call. "Are you sure this is the right way?"

'What the…who's Laguna?' 

Squall couldn't for the life of him figure out what was happening. Everything seemed too real to be a dream, but he had no other explanation. He thought maybe he was having a vision from a previous existence, but Squall was not one to buy into such ridiculous nonsense. Although at the time being, he would have accepted any explanation.

Another huskier Galbadian voice spoke as he walked up along Squall's form, "Oooh boy, not again." the burly man said nervously. "Hey, aren't we here to fight a war? You know, against the almighty Timber Army?" the man finished, somewhat sarcastically, looking back at Squall. He could sense the nervousness the man felt, even though he had no idea what he was talking about. Timber hadn't had an army since the Sorceress War, which was nearly two years before he was even born.

"Yeah, so why are we wasting our time with these animals?" the dark skinned man asked, again looking at Squall.

"What's the point of this war anyway? Is their a legit reason, or is it more bullshit!" the bald man questioned.

The dark-skinned man shrugged, "If you want to ask Deling, be my guest." He stated, obviously not intent on questioning his orders. Squall recalled the war that had taken place just before he was born, which just so happened to be a triangle of conflict between the technologically thriving Esthar, the then-powerful empire of Timber, and the vast army of Galbadia. Mainly, Galbadia was the instigator of both conflicts, as Vinzer Deling wanted totalitarian control over the entire continent. Deling also wanted to destroy the Horizon Bridge, which had sparked the conflict between them and Esthar.

The former president of Galbadia, Roderick Blake, had accorded with leaders of Esthar to make truce between the two countries, and the Horizon Bridge was constructed as a sign of unity between them. It was a marvel of technology, and extended thirty-two hundred miles connecting Galbadia and Esthar, and featured a railroad for travel by train, a road for regular vehicle transportation, with motels and stores all along the way to better convenience whoever made the long voyage across. But Deling was hell-bent at ending that truce made thirty years prior, and thus the war began.

"Damn it!" the man known as Laguna cursed as he studied the map, paying particular attention to their location in Cachabauld Forest, which was located on the outskirts of Timber, and was serving as a battlefield rather than a peaceful meadowland that nature intended it to be.

The dark skinned man looked directly at him, "Don't tell me we're lost again, Laguna!" he inquired. Squall finally confirmed that he unquestionably wasn't himself anymore. He had no idea who Laguna was, and most of all _why_ he was trapped in his body. All he knew is that he had to find a way to get out, but without control over _anything_, he had no choice but to wait and see what happened.

Laguna shook his head, "Lost? Have I ever led us in the wrong direction, Kiros?" he asked in a buoyant tone, waiting for an answer.

The muscular man known as Ward stepped forward, shifting his weight to one leg, "Well, let's see. There was that time in Parcathiam Forest in Esthar…"

"That wasn't my fault, I needed _something_ to retrace our tracks, and all I had was bird seeds." Laguna recounted and shrugged.

Ward used his fingers to recall another instance, "There was also that time in the Gyza Plains."

"Hey, I followed the map!"

The man named Kiros nodded, "Yes you did. Too bad you had it _upside down_! We can go on and on." he said fighting the laughter.

"And then there was that time in…" Ward continued before Laguna stopped him.

"Okay Ward, you've made your point!" He said rubbing the back of his head in confusion. "Well, I guess we should keep moving."

"Where to? We've been along the same path for three hours now, and we haven't gotten anywhere. I say we turn around now, while we still have a vague idea of where we are." Kiros explained.

Laguna shook his head, mostly out of confusion. "I swore this was the way."

"Well, it sounds like the blasts are dying down, and seeing that our camp was destroyed, maybe we should just find the vehicle and head back to the city. We can figure out what to do from there." Ward stated, as he kneeled down by the nearby crick, washing some dried mud off of his face.

"That's not the attitude to have Ward. Go into the city and have a beer, while our colleagues are off fighting? Thanks, but no thanks." Laguna crossed his arms stubbornly, staring off into the forest. He slipped off the heavy green sack that was attached to his back, filled with a replenishment of rations and ammo for their platoon.

Kiros raised his arms and groaned, "Have you got a better idea?" he said, starting to clean place his blades back into their sheaths.

Laguna pondered for a moment, and then bowed his head in dissatisfaction, realizing there wasn't much they could do in their present state. He switched the safety on his gun on, and latched it to his back. "Okay, but we can't stay long. This is a special op designated by the Galbadian Army. We must focus and complete this mission to the best of our abilities."

Ward saluted, "Aye-aye Mr. Serious!" he said cockily, causing Kiros to laugh as he started to walk off, followed by Ward.

Laguna shook his head, "That's Lieutenant Serious to you, Sergeant!" he demanded in a joking tone. "Seriously though, you know how the anthem goes…_" _Laguna patted Ward on the back and took a deep breath,_ "I am a Galbadian Soldier, I will defend my country far and wide, with honor and pride, on every mountain and country side! I…_" he started to sing, with a grin on his face.

Ward shivered at the sound of Laguna's voice, "Damn Laguna, where d'you learn how to sing?" he asked.

"If that doesn't keep those monsters away, nothing will." Kiros stated with a faint laugh.

Laguna waved his hands, blowing off his comical comrades, "Ahhh, you guys are just jealous!" he said, as Kiros pulled out his blades again, and began to scan the area, confusing Laguna. "What's wrong?"

Kiros stood very still and put a finger up to his mouth. "Do you hear that?" As the three soldiers stood motionless, a mix of buzzing and snarling sounds could be heard in the brush. Laguna and Ward drew their weapons quickly, as all three began searching the area for whatever was lurking about.

The sounds were steadily closing in, yet there were no signs of anything in their vicinity. "Damn Laguna, what did you do?" Ward questioned as he frantically circled around.

"Umm, nothing. Stay calm, we'll be oka…." Laguna said before being interrupted by a pleading cry.

"Laguna…Ward! HELP!" Kiros shouted, as his two partners spun around. Laguna and Ward froze when they laid eyes on what was before them.

"Oh Hyne!" Laguna shouted frighteningly, as he fired his gun haphazardly, trying desperately to save the fallen soldiers life. The humid air in the jungle caused the perspiration to seep from every pore, soaking the undergarments he was wearing underneath the heavy metal armor. The situation had just gone from humdrum, to intense in matter of seconds. He fired rifle as the bullets spewed from his gun in rapid succession. He took no particular aim on any target, as aiming took up valuable time that he couldn't spare. His comrade was drowning in the swarm of aggressors, and time was more than a factor, _it was life or death._

Ward gripped his hefty weapon with both hands, trying as best he could to fend off the fiends that were attacking Laguna, who was too busy trying to free Kiros to worry about himself. He used the heavy-ringed blunt end of his weapon to bat away oncoming bite bugs, while utilizing the steel spear to impale the sneaky Geezards, which were serpentine, rapid moving, purplish-skinned reptiles. The monsters alone were not incredible difficult to defeat to trained soldiers, but the sheer multitude that were attacking was what made the circumstances so perilous.

Laguna slowly moved his way forward as he gunned down fiends that stood in his path. As he neared his comrade, he could see Kiros blade slashing away from inside the flock, killing a fiend every now and again as he slashed away desperately. Laguna drew a combat blade, gunning down and stabbing at monsters whenever an opportunity arose. He could feel Geezards gnawing on his ankles, the pain subsiding compared to his determination. He feared not for his own life at the time, but for the life of another soldier, _his friend_.

"Ward, you still there?" Laguna questioned in the midst of the chaos. A Bite bug swooped down, dodging Ward's weapon and latched on to Laguna, stinging him in the neck. He grabbed the wing of his assailant, and whisked it to the ground, as the wing dismembered from the bug's body. Laguna finished it off with two, well-placed shots from his rifle, with green blood seeping out slowly as it faded into oblivion.

"Sorry, right behind ya!" Ward replied, swinging at the onslaught of airborne bite bugs as they attacked feverishly. The bugs flew in every which direction after being dealt massive blows from Ward's weapon. Most died from the crushing impact with the cold steel ring, while the ones that did live were paralyzed.

"As soon as we get Kiros, we need to break!" Laguna yelled, spinning the knife around so the sharp end was pointed outward, and impaled it into a Geezards head, killing it instantly. "We don't have a chance in hell of fighting though this!"

"That's the first sensible thing I've heard you mention today." Ward stated, as he used both arms to drive the spear of his harpoon through the tough skin of the Geezard, which pieced through the skeleton of the serpent, killing it.

"Let's save the jokes for later." Laguna replied. An empty clip dropped from his gun, as he began to load a new one quickly. He was starting to feel some of the affects of the poison from Geezard bites and Bite bug stings. His vision was becoming hazy, but it did not deter him. He would not be denied. For the first time in minutes, he could see Kiros face, which was covered in the green blood of the attackers, and his own red plasma. The look of distress and despair became a bit more optimistic as he made eye contact with Laguna. He trudged forward, trying to meet up with Laguna and Ward who were also getting sucked into the swarm.

Laguna reached down to his belt, and grabbed a grenade, pulling the pin with his teeth and tossing it behind Kiros to the trail ahead, hoping to clear a path. "Ward, get ready to charge."

Ward nodded as he swung his weapon around in a full circle, and then kneeled down into a three-point stance. "Ready." Laguna continued to fire until the detonation occurred, blasting Gezzard and Bite bug bodies into the air.

"NOW!" Laguna shouted, as Ward charged forward, grabbing Kiros and hoisting him on his shoulders in the process. Laguna ran behind Ward, who was sprinting ahead, trampling the living and dead enemies with his massive size and brute strength. Laguna continued to pick off Bite bugs in the air. Bullet after bullet, the flying fiends went down usually after taking four or five shots. Gun smoke clouded his immediate vision, but he somehow found a way to fire accurately.

Laguna came to a screeching halt as he plowed into Ward's muscular back. "What's the hold up, big man?"

"There's a hill coming up…pretty damn steep!" Ward stated nervously, backing up a bit.

Laguna pushed Ward ahead as hard as he could, not making much progress. "Just jump and roll, it's our only chance." He commanded, not aware of the true depth of the incline.

Ward shook his head, knowing the idea was a bit impractical, but Laguna was right. "Umm…okay." He said as he again sprinted head on, jumping forward and rolling, Kiros falling off his shoulders and rolled down as well. Laguna tripped over a stick before the incline, tumbling ahead face first. Rocks and jagged bushes made the long tumble all the more painful, as previous injuries were exploited due to the long fall, which seemed like it lasted forever. As they reached the bottom, the three Galbadian soldiers laid sprawled out across the gravel path. Moans and gasps filled the air as they lied there in reeling pain.

Laguna pushed himself up slowly, his arms brittle with excruciating pain, with blood dripping off the left side of his face. "Ughhh, I think I broke…everything." Oddly enough, Squall could feel every last bit of pain the man was feeling.

Ward was next, seemingly in better condition than his other comrades. He sat up and leaned forward, taking the torn blue bandanna off of his baldhead. "Jeez, I guess I deserve the pain. After all, I did listen to you…again."

Laguna shrugged, then clutched his aching shoulder, "Oh yeah, blame me! It's always my fault isn't it? …Wait, don't answer that."

Kiros coughed and raised his arm, trying to call attention to himself, "…Uggh, little help." He struggled to speak. Laguna slowly struggled to a knee, and crawled over towards his comrade. Ward stood up on his own will, limping a bit as he made his way over.

"Kiros, you alright?" Ward questioned as he pulled out a med kit, and kneeled down next Kiros.

"I…I've been better." Kiros responded, barely able to move a finger.

Laguna crawled over closer to Kiros and Ward, "Where do you think all those critters came from?"

Ward shook his head as he pulled out a hypodermic, and loaded it with some elixir. "I'm not sure, but the FQ (Fiend Quota) has been skyrocketing in the past few months. Mostly just those annoying monsters, but there have been sightings of powerful fiends in Esthar and Centra." Ward explained, injecting the healing serum into Kiros' right arm.

"That's great! So not only do we have to contend with the Timber's and Esthar's Army, we have to worry about these monsters taking us down?" Laguna asked vehemently.

Kiros sat up, a good sign after the punishing injuries he sustained just a few minutes earlier. He slowly reached for his canteen and took a swig of water. He poured some in his hand and splashed his face, which was crusted with a mix of blood and dirt. Ward stepped over and began attending to Laguna, who was a bit too injured to move on without some help. Ward pulled out a small tube, and handed it to the pain-stricken soldier.

"Here, drink this, you'll feel better." Ward spoke.

Laguna grabbed the small cylinder and dumped the contents in his mouth and swallowed it quickly. Laguna shivered with a look of repugnance on his face. "Yuck…what the hell is that crap!"

"It's called Hi-Potion, it's new. Top scientists have been developing it for years and are still in early production. It supposedly aids in recovery of injuries more rapidly than regular potions." Ward stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

Laguna spit on the ground and stuck out his tongue, "Ahh, I don't know what's worse, the taste, or the pain." He commented, although he could feel the healing effects of the potion immediately.

Kiros rubbed his sides, still breathing heavily as the antidotes, medications and potions took effect, "Are you done? Now, our precious leader may have literally threw us down a cliff, but we did stumble upon _something_ positive." Kiros stated, as he finished cleaning off his face.

Ward's eyes widened, "What?" Kiros cocked his head to the side and pointed in the background. Through the break in shrubs and weeds, their G- Army armored vehicle was visible. "Oh, how about that. Good move Laguna." Ward congratulated in a sarcastic manner.

Laguna stood up and held his hands to his hips, and he held his head in the air with an ill-placed pride, "You see, you doubt me, and what? I knew exactly where we were the whole time." He said proudly, as Ward and Kiros just laughed at their superiors jest.

In the distance, a loud chanting cadence could be heard, along with the roar of tank engines. "Great, what now?" Kiros asked, as he pulled out a pair of digital binoculars and searched the area in which the noise originated. Through the lens, he made out about a hundred marching soldiers in forest-camouflaged uniforms, along with a few tanks and amphibious land vehicles. The only problem was it was not Galbadian infantry; it was Timber.

"Well, we couldn't find the war, but it sure found us." Kiros stated.

Ward walked over and stood directly over Kiros, "Timber?"

"Timber. I'm guessing our men retreated, since we are a bit undermanned right now." Kiros said as he handed the binoculars to Ward.

Laguna reloaded his machine gun and calculated how much ammo they had left. "If we're smart about it, we can take out a few of their soldiers right now, you know, and maybe weaken their defense."

Kiros shot a perturbed look at his partner, "Do ever just stop and think?"

"About what?" Laguna asked with narrowing eyes.

Kiros shook his head. "Anything! We'll die if we try to attack!"

Ward nodded in agreement. "He's right Laguna. If our whole platoon couldn't stop them, how the hell are we going to? We are only moving three deep!"

Laguna nodded, "We can't just run from this, remember _'I am a Galbadian soldier! I will defend my…_'" he sang on again before he was abruptly cut off mid-song.

"Oh shut up! We are severely outnumbered, and beat up at that! We are retreating, and don't try to outwit me…sir!" Kiros demanded, calmly and rationally.

Laguna squinted his eyes and crossed his arms, shooting a solemn, but humorous look at Kiros. "Well, since you were nice about it, okay. But…I'm driving!" he said as he jumped over some weeds, immediately tripping on a ditch in the path as he landed.

"Oh brother…" Ward said with a sigh.

_(What an idiot.)_

Laguna quickly stood up and dusted himself off, standing up like nothing happened, "I'm alright." He told his teammates, as he slowly continued along the trail.

Ward looked over at Kiros. "Is it just me, or does Laguna sometimes have the sweet disposition of a ten year old?" Ward asked with a husky laugh.

Kiros made and amusingly questionable face, and looked back over at the massive soldier. "No. I' m thinking more like…a five year old." He replied with a laugh of his own. "I guess we better catch up with him before he hurts himself…again."

Ward nodded, "Yeah, and we wouldn't want that." He replied with sarcasm as him and Kiros began to follow Laguna towards the vehicle.

The sun had fully began to shine upon war-torn forest. Many dangers, both human and fiend lurked about awaiting the next poor soul to wonder by. The rain had died down, and in its place was a strange haze. For once that day though, no battles were ensuing. It was peaceful for at least the time being, but chances were, would not be for long.

* * *

Seven hours had a deathly slow way of passing, especially when having to listen to a truly uninspired singer recite the Galbadian Army Anthem over and over again. The three had taken turns driving back to Deling City, which would've taken ten hours if not for all the shortcuts they took. It was dusk, the pinkish-orange horizon was progressively transforming into a pale, dark blue. A few clouds still hung overhead, but not enough to hinder the stars from making an impression.

"How many times can you sing that damn song?" Kiros asked, leaning back in the passenger's seat.

Laguna paused, and looked in the back where Ward was resting with his head leaned back and his arms over his eyes. "You may not like my music, but Ward does. My soothing voice knocked him right out."

Kiros shook his head, "He probably knocked himself out. Anyway…I wanted to…thank you." Kiros said, somewhat shyly.

"Thank you? For what?"

"For saving my life! If it weren't for you and Ward, I'd be…well, not here." Kiros said, genuinely appreciative.

Laguna nodded and reached over, patting Kiros shoulder, "Don't sweat it ole buddy, we still got lots of adventures ahead. I still wanna be a journalist, you know, travel the world, writing about the finer things in life. You and Ward can come with me, and we can have all kinds of fun."

"I don't know Laguna, that sounds good n' all, but I don't know if that's for me. I've done so much traveling already, in the military. If I get out of this alive, I'm gonna go somewhere where I don't have to worry about fiends and soldiers hunting me down." Kiros stated as Laguna nodded, understanding where he was coming from. " What about you? You don't want to settle down, maybe get hitched or something?"

Laguna shook at the notion, both at the premise and the probability. He never took anything too seriously, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but was a bit too laid back on serious issues as well. "Laguna Loire…married? Jeez, I don't know about that. I don't think I'll ever meet someone I'd want to marry. I have so much yet to do, and getting married is just…scary."

"What about…her?"

"Her? Oh…yeah right. A classy dame like that and beat up war-dog like me? I don't think so." Laguna dismissed Kiros suggestion and looked away, a bit disappointed at the fact he stated.

Kiros looked over at him, sympathy and confusion in his expression, "Don't rule it out Laguna, she seems very nice."

Just then, Ward woke up and leaned forward, "Who? That broad who plays piano at the hotel bar? You sure do got an eye out for that one, huh?"

"You're crazy! I don't know what would ever give you that idea." Laguna replied with his arms crossed.

"Oh I don't know, maybe because you always run to the front when she is on stage. Or maybe because you always recite what you're gonna say to her, but always chicken out." Ward spoke, stretching his back.

"Umm…uhh…Hey, we're here!" Laguna shouted timidly trying to change the subject. In all actuality, they had arrived in the capital of Galbadia; Deling City, which was one of the most prosperous and influential cities in the world. Although, it had been shrouded in political uproar since the self proclaimed, _"Lifelong President of Galbadia"_ took over ten years earlier. His name was Vinzer Deling, who was more of a lifelong dictator than a president. He even disgraced the name of the capital by naming it after himself, hence Deling City.

Laguna speedily pulled the armored vehicle into the town square, almost tipping the vehicle as he made a ridiculously sharp turn. He sped to the middle and came to a screeching halt. "Ahh, well I could use a cold one, how bout you guys?"

Ward gasped and slid over towards the door, "I think I'm gonna be sick."

Kiros looked over at Laguna with a frustrated glare, "That's it, you are never driving again."

Laguna shrugged, "Problem?" he asked as he undid his seatbelt and open the door.

Kiros nodded, "Seemingly infinite supply." He replied as he stepped out of the vehicle agitated.

Ward opened his door and looked around, seeing where the vehicle was inappropriately parked, "H-Hey, you can't park in the middle of the street." He stated, still feeling a bit queasy.

Laguna stepped out of the vehicle and backed up for a better view, "Chill man, it's cool. Military business." He replied as he turned around and took a deep breath. As much as the politics had engulfed the enormous city, nothing could encumber its massive exquisiteness. The high-rise buildings and tall, black pole streetlights made Deling City nightlife truly captivating. Cars, taxis, and many other vehicles flooded the streets, as residents of Deling City and tourists took in all it had to offer. The city had an aged elegance that made it stand out the most. The buildings had old-school architecture, as most were constructed with brick, rather than steel like in most other metropolitans. Galbadia was not the most technologically advanced nation, but was one of the richest and most refined.

Just off to the side was the presidential palace, surrounded and protected by a solid concrete wall that stood twenty feet easily. Specially trained G-Army soldiers, who circled the perimeter around the clock, guarded the majestic black iron gates. There were also special agents disguised as civilians protecting the palace, but weren't doing a great job remaining inconspicuous.

Laguna spread his arms wide open as if he wanted to hug the whole city. He spun around and smiled at his comrades, "Alright, now how about that drink?"

Kiros sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "We're not here just for the booze, are we? We've got a war to fight."

Ward nodded, "So we'll get smashed and then we'll charge!" He exclaimed, pointing forward enthusiastically.

Laguna walked up alongside Ward and Kiros and put a hand on each of their shoulders, "Kiros…Ward, you two seem to misunderstand. I just want to have a friendly drink with you two." Laguna explicated with an entertaining impression.

Kiros nodded, "Whatever you say Laguna, but we should at least take off this filthy armor. At least we'll look somewhat reputable." He stated as he began to strip off some of his attire, which was covered in mud and grime from the jungle.

"Not a bad idea, but the people have to understand, we can't wear tuxedos on the battlefield." He said as he too began to undress, until he was wearing only his blue combat uniform.

Ward laughed at the remark as he placed his armor in the back of the vehicle, "I wouldn't be surprised if you did. You've done some crazy things over the past few years."

Laguna placed his hands on his hips and stared at Ward, "Oh yeah. like what?"

"We don't have all night, and that's how long it would take, so let's go have a drink before we are called back." Kiros stated as he pulled his two partners onward.

It had been awhile since they had walked through the city, other than on patrol. Soldiers were constantly on guard in Deling City, at the command of the vigilant president. He wanted the once independent city to bow at his feet, and placing armed soldiers on the very streets the citizens walked would strike fear within. Laguna, along with nearly every other Galbadian soldier never particularly liked many of the policies that had been set forth, but were not justified to dispute with the decisions of the Commander-in-Chief.

As the three soldiers walked down the streets on the breezy night, they bumped into a few soldiers in their platoon hanging out in an empty alleyway smoking cigarettes. "Hey, what are you guys doin' here?" one of the soldiers asked boisterously.

"Hey! Man, we couldn't find you guys, did you guys bail early or somethin'?" Laguna asked with his arms raised in confusion.

Another soldier shook his head and took a cigarette out of his mouth, "Don't look at us, we were there for damn near five hours. We didn't lose anyone, but had a few injuries. We would've been dead meat without those supplies you guys were carrying if General Daves didn't pull us outta there"

"…Was the General…mad?" Laguna asked a bit scared.

"No, actually he was worried that something might have happened to ya, but once he finds out you guys are alright, he'll have all your asses", another soldier who was leaning against the building cockily remarked.

Kiros stomped his foot on the ground, "Great, just great!" he yelled with an upset look on his face.

"Damn Loire, at this rate, you'll always be a Lieutenant. I advise you two to get away from this guy while ya can!" The other Lieutenant stated, laughing with the other soldiers.

"Shut up man, it wasn't our fault."

From the shadows of the alley, a backlight silhouetted another brazen figure, "No, it was just _your_ fault, Lieutenant Loire." The man said as he walked out, and Laguna immediately recognized him. The man was a bit arrogant, but nonetheless an exceptional soldier.

Laguna squinted at the other man, showing in his look his fondness of the soldier, or lack thereof. "Fine, it is _my_ fault. I will take all the heed for not arriving at the preset destination."

"Damn right you will Loire! You're a disgrace to the uniform, and to the entire Galbadian Army." The Major spat with hints of spite in his voice.

Kiros stepped up in front, seemingly angry at the crude comments, "Wait just a minute sir! I know Lieutenant Loire has made some questionable decisions, but I'll be damned if anyone calls him a disgrace. This man saved my life today, and many in the past…"

"And what will you be saying when you're chipping paint off the floor of the latrines the rest of your career? Will you be so quick to defend this idiot then, Sergeant?" the man harshly continued.

Ward then stepped in front of Kiros, angrier than even Laguna was "You're damn right we will! He has more heart than any soldier I know. He may not be the brightest guy, but if anyone here is the idiot, its you…sir!" Ward spat with spite in his voice.

"Watch you're tongue Sergeant Zabac, or you will regret it!" the man demanded.

As Ward clenched his fist, Laguna grabbed his large arm and pulled him back, stopping him from making a monumental mistake. "I am gonna stop this now before something happens. Major, if you wanna look your nose down at me, fine, but do not threaten my men."

"Have it you're way Lieutenant, soon-to-be Private Loire! But just remember, one day I'll be General, and you'll be taking orders from me." the rude officer stated as he leered at Laguna, and headed back through the dark alleyway.

"C'mon, lets go." Laguna said waving Kiros and Ward forward. Laguna seemed humiliated, and walked onward with his head down. "Ahh, should've walked away as soon as I saw him."

"Who was that asshole?" Ward asked, still shaking in anger over the confrontation.

Laguna stopped and looked back, "He was a friend of mine back in the day."

Kiros shot a look of pure dissolution, "You two…were friends?"

"About six years ago, when we were both in the academy, we were roommates throughout and then got sent on our first tour together in Gurgan Valley down in Mysidia. Things got real tough down there with all the attacks from Romanda, who they were at war with at the time, and we became good friends."

Ward shrugged, "So what happened?"

"One day we were attacked head on, and we were told to relay the message to retreat to the Brigadier General. We were crossing a bridge that was not very sturdy and it gave out, and we fell to the water below. We never got to relay the message, and we suffered many casualties as a result."

Kiros walked up closer to the ashamed Laguna, "So, how is that your fault?"

Laguna shook his head, "He wanted to go around the gorge, but I insisted it would take too long. I seen the bridge as the only option. I didn't know that was gonna happen, I swore if we were careful we'd make it across. Anyway, at the time I was just a Second Lieutenant, and he was a first. They couldn't bust me down any further, so they busted him back to Second Lieutenant with me. He's hated me since."

Ward waved his hand in a forward motion, "You did what you had to do. If you would've went around, they probably would've all died anyway. You made the right call Laguna."

Laguna shrugged, "Tell that to him."

Kiros walked forward, "Come on, let's get to the hotel bar before you miss your girlfriend."

Laguna rushed forward, "Yeah, let's hurry…Hey! What did I tell you?"

"Oops, sorry. I'll try to remember the next time." Kiros said as they all continued down the crowded sidewalk, making their way towards the hotel.

The streets of Deling were as diverse as they were spectacular. On one street corner, performers voiced their vocal talents for the pedestrians free of charge, while on the other side, a young couple made out under the stars. Although, not _everything_ about Deling City was lavish, as a few city blocks were slums, left to the huddled masses of homeless bums. Laguna took a deep breath, the odor of rotten garbage and exhaust fumes filled the air on the less than luxuriant street they were strolling along. Bums resided and slept on the sidewalk, and carts filled with dirty old clothes and aluminum cans crowded the path.

Laguna stopped and was quiet for a moment. He hadn't been acting in his normally quirky behavior since the self-righteous soldier they encountered a few blocks back scolded him, "I wanted to thank you guys for sticking up for me. He was right though, it was my fault, and I will take full responsibility."

Kiros patted Laguna on the back. "That guy was just tryin' to make himself feel big. Besides, it wasn't entirely your fault. I mean, we did follow you on our own will."

"You were just following orders." Laguna replied softly.

"You're right. So now, I'm taking over, and I order you to get drunk!" Ward said in a jokingly demanding tone.

Laguna's depressing frown quickly turned to a wide smile at Ward's statement "Aye-aye General Ward!" he jived with a fake salute. "Things are getting too serious…let's get to the bar before I run into _another_ old friend."

"That's the spirit!" Kiros commented excitedly.

"Hey guys, lets turn down this street, I know a shortcut." Laguna said as he turned the corner about to follow his own path before Ward grabbed him and forcefully dragged him along.

"Oh no ya don't! I'm sorry, we don't need you to go AWOL because you couldn't find the hotel." He said as he pulled on Laguna's arm.

Laguna smirked faintly, and followed along cooperatively. "Whatever…"

_…Whatever?_

* * *

**HAHA, came out a lot sooner than you'd think, huh? Well, I decided to divide it up, and plus I got to work on it a lot more than I thought I would. Okay, lets get this show on the road.**

**Inside Look**

These sequences are hard to write, mainly because there is so much to add in order to answer questions that were left unanswered. I included that explanation on the Horizon Bridge, which I hope will clear up some things.

Also, I know you noticed that Laguna and Kiros had **short **hair, and that wasn't a mistake. They will have longer hair in the coming chapters, but being in the military at the time it didn't seem fitting they had long hair.

I made Laguna an officer. I know he wore the blue uniform as well instead of the red, but that will be explained in part II. Plus, if he was the leader of a small group, usually it would be lead by an officer, and two enlisted soldiers.

Like I said, the world in my game will be much different. Still somewhat the same set up as far as continents go, but in my POV, that is only half the world of FFVIII that you see in the game, plus, like I said, many more smaller towns, countries and landscapes will be added.

Galbadia; I always thought of this place much like Paris as far as architecture and overall feel, so you will see a lot of comparisons. I have a compared each country/continent in FF8 to one in real life, just to get a more realistic outlook on each and how it runs.

Can you guess who that Major was who bitched out Laguna? I bet you can if you know the game well…

The dream sequences will not include as much action as the regular chapters. Don't get me wrong, there will be action, but I will not be putting any unneeded action in it. These sequences are more about telling a story, not about the heart pumping action, but still, let me know what you think about it.

Finally, I've received many questions asking if I will be including more on how GF's work in my story, as far as how they protecting. That will be explained completely in the coming 3-4 chapters, so just keep reading.

**Prodigy's Corner**

**Leonhart-Zero**: I took it down at first because I was burnt out from writing and from the military. But I've got my bearings back and am more focused than ever. I wasn't happy with how much I left out as well, so I decided to go back and edit some things, and also give Greg (Peptuck) time to finish his. Hope you like it and will continue reading!

**Kagome-reincarnation**: No, probably no written tests, unless I find a way of usefully incorporating it into the story. Thanks for reviewing!

**Noacat**: Locke, yes, a tribute to the awesome FF6. Detail is the name of the game, and I hope you've like my version of Laguna thus far.

**DBZ FF Queen**: I actually think Zell and Selphie were MORE annoying in the game. Yes, I felt the situations of Ellone and Edea need to be elaborated a bit more prior to just arriving in the story, and you can best bet that Ellone's reasoning will be explained well when the time comes. BEEF! I love BeeF! Anywho, I changed that Squall to Squall thing, that was just a dumb mistake I didn't catch, thanks! And I wanted to give Seifer a middle name that made him cringe when people mentioned it, and in a future chapter sooner or later, that will come to a head.

Okay, its moving faster than I thought. Part II if this will be out Friday, maybe even Thursday! Until then…

**Prodigy**


	10. Dreamworld: What Dreams May Come Pt II

**Dreamworld**

**_What Dreams May Come_**

**_Part II_**

The Galbadia Grand Hotel, which catered to the most prestigious in the world from movie stars to ruthless politicians, was now within view. The stars blanketed the crisp night's sky like scattered diamonds in the beautiful city, as the full moon dwindled overhead in massive form. Laguna glanced up, admiring the beauty of the heavens and all the wonders in its grasp.

There were many off-duty Galbadian soldiers and officers just like them wondering the Deling streets. The soldiers were all laughing and frolicking, getting tipsy and having a good time. Most laughed to mask their true emotion, and how they felt at such a hostile time. The war between Galbadia and neighboring country Timber had become violent, thanks to the onslaught of accusations and threats by President Deling. Many men had fallen victim to the war, and more problems were arising due to a mysterious force in Esthar that no one could explain. Whatever it was though, it was big.

Squall could tell through whosever eyes he was seeing through that this definitely took place sometime before the Sorceress War. He had been listening to the three Galbadian soldiers converse about everything that was going on, and was trying to fit the pieces together. What he had gathered brought him to that conclusion that this '_dream_' he was having took place in the past. The war between Galbadia, Timber and Esthar had begun a year before the Sorceress War took place, which led him to believe that he was seeing back close to two decades earlier. Subtle clues through the dream had also played a part in his theory. He first noticed the old fashioned G-Army uniforms, which weren't thermal, and did not dawn the advanced Tri-Sight goggles that had been revolutionary to the Galbadian military, and issued to all soldiers. Also, rather than the red and blue BDU's that distinguished G-Army soldiers and officers in present day, all soldiers dawned the same blue uniform, which was how it was back then.

So, he had succeeded in figuring out what he was seeing, now came the part of figuring out _why_ he was seeing it.

Laguna, Kiros and Ward came face to face with the popular hotel, standing across the street admiring its elegance. The building stood tall, soaring above the city with the towering edifices that surrounded it. The hotel was consisted of red brick and steel, which supported its enormous structure. Gold railing and a cornucopia of flowers decorated the entrance. The three soldiers crossed the eventful boulevard, weaving and winding through the traffic jam that was customary on Friday nights in Deling City. Upon reaching the entrance, the double doors swung open, barely missing Kiros as he jumped backwards.

A well-dressed man and woman strolled somewhat quickly out of the hotel, the gentleman nudging Ward rudely as he walked past. "Pardon me, but you shouldn't be blocking the exit, it's a fire hazard."

Ward shot a peculiar look at the classy chap, "We were just trying to walk in, and you bolted out as if there _were_ a fire." He stated calmly.

The man's smug look turned into anger as he placed his hands on his hips, "You should clear the way then, soldier! You should be doing your job, instead of fraternizing with us upper classes!"

"Upper classes? I don't see any upper classes." Laguna replied, legitimately confused.

"You numskull, what do you think I am?" the egotistic man spat.

"A little pansy with a cheap tuxedo and a bad haircut?" Kiros replied as he accessed the young man from a short distance, attempting to get a rise out of him.

The man gasped in offense and raised his nose in the air, "I do not have to take this from the likes of you. Let's go Annette!" he retorted and walked off with his female escort.

Laguna shook his head, "These society types, I'm tellin' ya."

Kiros shook his head and walked towards the entrance, "Can we go in already?" he asked as Laguna and Ward complied, and followed along.

The three soldiers entered the luxurious hotel lobby, which was decorated with exceptional style. The scarlet paint with gold trim lining looked magnificent, topped off with an assortment of bouquets and stone sculptures. Well-dressed concierges and bellboys assisted the hotel guests with luggage and bags, as receptionists were busy checking people in.

Laguna walked up slowly to the counter with his two comrades close behind, and rang the assistance bell. The young, female bellhop turned around, noticing the three frequents standing at the counter, "Welcome gentleman, and what are your plans for this evening?"

"Our plans?" Laguna questioned, looking back at Kiros and Ward, who just stared at him blankly. "Oh, our plans are to drink, of course!"

The girl began to chuckle, "No, I mean will you be staying or are you just visiting?"

Kiros shook his head and walked up to the oak counter, "Sorry about that, he's taken quite a few bumps on the head." He said jokingly, patting Laguna reassuringly.

Laguna stared at Kiros with a raised eyebrow, and focused back on the woman. "…Visiting."

She nodded and looked down at her reservation list, not seeing their names. She had noticed them in there many times before, and was not quick to turn away hard working soldiers. Still, she needed to confirm there were seats available, "One moment please." She said as she walked from behind the counter to the stairs, where she unfastened the velvet rope and proceeded down the twisting staircase.

Laguna leaned over the counter, scouring the shelves below, "Hmm, where do they keep those mints?"

"Please Laguna, you're a trained professional, not a child." Kiros said in a low voice, catching glances from passing hotel guests.

"C'mon Kiros, I just want a min…Huh?" he spun around, appearing dazed for no reason.

Kiros shot him a bewildered look, "What's wrong?"

Laguna rubbed the back of his head and looked around, "Ahh, I'm not quite sure."

Ward tapped Laguna's shoulder with squinted eyes. "Wait a second…is your head buzzing?"

"What? You too?"

Ward nodded, "Yeah, ever since we were in Timber."

"Me too…" Kiros added. It seemed very peculiar they were all having similar experiences, but they had all been through alot, and were overdue for some rest.

Ward shrugged and started shaking his head quickly, "Hey, we're just tired, that's all. We'll be fine after a drink or two, or three..."

Squall had a million questions that were in need of answering, and a new one just arose. The three soldiers had felt a strange buzz since Timber, which was the same time Squall had began having the visions. _What did this mean? Did it have something to do with what Squall was experiencing, or was it just war fatigue?_ It was just one more question that needed an answer.

Two minutes later, the waitress returned form the bar downstairs and stepped back behind the counter, "Okay, you may head down now. There are still some good seats left if you hurry." She added. The three stepped away from the counter, and proceeded down the red, carpeted marble staircase. As they continued down to the bar below, the three stopped and admired how much effort was put into the interior design. The entire hotel was very fashionable, but the bar area was VIP for the most part, with a few exceptions, especially for Galbadian soldiers. The entire area was carpeted in royal red, with the mahogany walls decorated with paintings and flowers. Scarlet silk curtains flowed around the ceiling of the bar, which made for a very intimate setting.

As they walked out on the floor, Laguna smiled and pointed as he seen a booth open in the front, "You see, we'll have some drinks and we'll have good seats for the show."

Ward chuckled as he watched Laguna, "I knew you'd be happy." He said as him and Kiros joined him.

Laguna shrugged innocently, "Why, who's performing tonight?"

"Come on, don't play…dumb. You know exactly who it is!" Kiros said pointing to the display, reading, _'Tonight, Julia Heartilly performs LIVE!'_

Laguna blushed as he read it, "Oh, well…I"

Before Laguna could finish, the female hostess greeted them, "Hey fellas! Your table is ready." She informed them and they followed, all along the way getting curious eyes from the more refined guests.

Laguna, Ward and Kiros walked over to the booth, and sat down on the red leather upholstery, "Thank you." Kiros remarked and bowed his head.

Ward slid down lazily into a slouch, "Finally! I'll never take rest for granted again!"

Laguna nodded with a stretch and a yawn, "Tell me about it, I'm pretty tired. I could sleep standing up."

Kiros laughed, "We know. Don't get too comfortable though, the moment we get the word to report back to H.Q., we're out of here." He told them. All three knew that whatever they were doing, and regardless of how much fun they were having, it was not going to last. They swore allegiance to their country, and in a current state of war, they were needed more than ever.

Laguna patted Kiros on the back, "Relax Kiros, lets just forget about Deling, Dollet, the war and all, and just have a good time."

Kiros reluctantly nodded. "I guess." Each had their own little patterns and idiosyncrasies. Laguna was absent-minded, courageous one, Kiros was the sensible one, and Ward just added his two cents to whatever they said. Despite their differences, they were very good friends, on and off the battlefield.

The hostess walked up to the trio and flipped open her tablet, "May I take your order?"

"The usual." Laguna said.

Kiros nodded, "Me too."

"Keep 'em comin'." Ward finished.

Kiros looked over his shoulder, and began to survey the crowd, and then looked back at Laguna, who seemed to be fidgety and nervous. They hadn't made one trip to Galbadia without stopping to watch Julia Heartilly play, so despite what Laugua said, it was quite clear he was fond of her. The waitress quickly delivered their drinks, Kiros and Ward both got the same domestic beer, but Laguna ordered a foreign brand.

Kiros took a swig and shook his head. "How do you drink that crap?" he asked.

Laguna took a big gulp and took a satisfied gasp, "You don't know what you're missin'!'"

Ward laughed and fake gagged himself, before speaking, "So Laguna, Julia should be making her appearance soon. You goin' for it tonight?"

"Going for what? Just let me drink in peace!" Laguna answered and covered his face, trying to avoid what he knew was bound to happen. Kiros and Ward looked at each other with smiles on their face, determined to get their friend to come out of his shell.

Suddenly, a raving applause began to start along with a few whistles and chants. The three looked to the front, where Julia had made her appearance from behind the curtain, "There she is!" Ward blared as he stood up and began to chant along with the rest.

Kiros nudged Laguna, who was staring at Julia with an entranced glare, "What are you waiting for, go for it!"

Laguna looked up to the front where Juila had taken a seat at the black grand piano in the front, "What-ever man…can't you see she's working?" he said, as he watched Julia wave to the crowd. Julia Heartilly was elegantly beautiful, with a sinfully attractive body and a smile that could make any man forget his name. Her brunette hair was strung back into a small bun, and she wore a skimpy, yet tasteful red dress that stole the attention of the opposite sex.

Kiros shook his head and pointed at Laguna. "Don't go back on your word. C'mon, go wave to her." He insisted, playfully pushing Laguna out of the booth.

"Give me a break…I'm not gonna bother her." Laguna said as he took another drink, not once taking his eyes off Julia.

"So you say, but we all know you'll do it." Ward added with a laugh, taking a few beer nuts from the bowl and tossing them in his mouth. Noticing both Kiros and Ward's expecting eyes on him, Laguna knew he had to do something. He didn't want to seem like he was afraid, but he was. Not that he was timid about approaching women in general, but Julia was different, at least in his eyes. While the countless other soldiers and men in the bar thought of her as an object of sex, Laguna saw an angel.

Laguna stood up and looked around him, where he noticed many of his other colleagues had their eyes on him as well. It was painfully obvious to them that he was going to make a move. Word had spread quickly within his platoon that he had an eye for the young temptress, since there was only so much to do on thirty mile hikes and extended espionage assignments.

He looked down at his uniform, which was stained with dirt and grass. He dusted himself off a bit and checked his breath. He was breathing heavily as he stared up at Julia, who was preparing to play a song for her adoring crowd. Laguna walked forward a few steps and stopped, looking back at his buddies, who had their eyes locked on him_, 'Gotta keep goin', Kiros and Ward are watching!' _he thought as he psyched himself up, and walked forward.

_Oh great, I can hear him think too!_

He felt as if she were a mile away, seeming like every step were in the wrong direction. As Julia tapped the first key on the piano and the sound reverberated through his mind, Laguna froze, and swallowed._ 'If I run from this now, the guys will rag on me forever. Relax, you've made it this far. Just a few more feet!.' _He told himself, and walked forward with his fingers crossed

_Is this guy serious?_

As he neared two-step staircase which led to the performance platform Julia was on, Laguna paused as he heard the music start. He would've enjoyed anything she had played, but she had started with her most popular ensemble._ Laguna _listened to it as he looked over at her, dizzy with infatuation._ 'Ahh, to be this close to Julia. I never thought I would be so close. She's beautiful. I can even smell her perfume. Oh man, I could stay like this forever.'_

_I think I'm gonna be sick._

Laguna took a knee as he gazed on at the beauty, whose delicate hands were tickling the ivory keys. His knees were weakened by her exquisite looks and piano playing. He stared at her for a few more moments until her eyes lifted off the keys, and met Laguna's_. 'Uhh, she looked at me! We made eye contact! Okay, stay calm!' _He attempted to calm himself, but to no avail. He tried to stand up, but felt as if his muscles were locked into the kneeling position_, 'Oh no, I can't move! Okay, one step at a time. Stand up!' _he told himself as he got to his feet very slowly with cracking knees. Looking over to Julia, he noticed she was finding humor in his actions, which frightened him even more. As he took a few steps to the rear, Laguna felt a tightening in his left thigh_, 'Uh oh, my legs cramping up! Oooh boy!' _he thought, as he stomped his leg on the ground, trying to relieve the pain.

_Pathetic._

As Laguna tried to rid of the cramp, he looked up to his fellow soldiers clapping, whistling, and chanting at his humorous attempt at conversing with the pianist. Laguna raised his hand, trying to play off how humiliated he actually was, and began limping back to his table, before a soldier of his same rank stepped in front of him, "Hey soldier! You got a little too close to Julia." He insisted, as Laguna looked and shook his head.

"I was just…" he began to explain, but didn't finish.

"Yeah, yeah. You were just nothing! It's always the same with you soldiers."

Laguna looked the man's uniform up and down, "You're a soldier too…aren't you?"

"Yes, but I've been appointed as Julia's personal bodyguard. You front-liners are all the same, drooling all over Miss Heartilly. She doesn't wish to be disturbed, especially by the likes of you, and tell all of your buddies the same!" the soldiers demanded with a big head as he walked up to the front and stood there to make sure no one else got as close.

Laguna finally made it back to his table, still trying to get rid of the annoying cramp. Kiros began a jokingly slow clap, "Bravo, Laguna. Bravo."

Ward nodded with a thumps up, "Mission successful!" he said and started laughing.

Laguna didn't laugh, and his face was beat read with embarrassment. Kiros slid over in the booth, "Here, have a seat." He offered.

"I didn't think you'd actually do it!" Ward said and took a quick drink, "Our popularity ratings gone up a point." He finished.

"Yeah, but you cut a pretty pitiful figure up there. I'd say you're about a negative three on the manliness scale." Kiros remarked, leaning back.

"Say what you want." Laguna spoke, letting his buddies get their wise cracks in, then looked back to Julia, who had finished her song and was receiving applause. "Man, she sure is pretty." he said, taking an extended sigh of disillusionment. He never really got his hopes up, knowing they were from two different worlds, but he never felt that way before.

As Laguna sat there, swimming through dreams of what life could've been like, he heard Kiros speak, "Uhh, Laguna."

Thinking he was attempting to crack another joke, Laguna blew him off, "I know Kiros, it was weak. I get it!" he sharply rejoined, taking another sip of beer.

"…Laguna?" Ward followed up with a warped glare on his face.

Laguna shook his head, "Not you too Ward! Give me a break, what am I supposed to do? I'm just a big fan, no more, no less."

Ward, for some reason or another, seemed flustered, "Aaaah, we…umm!"

Laguna stared at Ward in wonderment, as Kiros laid a hand on his shoulder, "Laguna, we're takin' off. C'mon Ward!" he said as he sidled out of the booth quickly.

"But…but?" Ward pleaded.

"Let's go!" Kiros demanded, tugging on Ward's heavy arm.

"Coming." Ward complied and moved out of the booth.

Laguna stood up and jumped in front of them. "Hey, what's the rush!"

Kiros pulled a few gil out of his pocket and placed it in Laguna's hand, "It's on us tonight! Relax, and stay awhile! We'll be at the bar." He said as he walked off towards the bar along with Ward.

Laguna looked back at Kiros and Ward's half-full bottles, "You guys haven't even finished your drinks. Where are you…wha…?" he started calling them back, before feeling another presence behind him. As he turned around, his mouth dropped as he seen the woman standing before him.

Julia Heartilly, more of just a local celebrity, but Laguna knew in his gut she would be famous worldwide someday. She had the looks, the talent, everything. She noticed the absent look in the man's eyes, "I'm sorry, did I startle you?" she asked softly.

Laguna couldn't remember his name as she spoke, her heavenly voice echoing in his mind. "I…umm…no. Its…uhh." He stuttered, feeling the tightening his leg once again.

"May I?" she asked, gesturing to sit down at his table.

Laguna couldn't even think straight, so speaking clearly wasn't an option, "Aaaaa..yea…" Laguna nodded and welcomed her to sit, and then slowly sat down at the other end of the table. He raised his head, noticing she was sitting across from him, smiling. After a few moments, he realized he was gaping at her, and quickly redirected his attention back to the floor. Julia was amused with how unnerved he was, but didn't want to bring it to attention, instead thought of a way to make him more comfortable with her.

"Did I interrupt anything?" she questioned, lightly grazing the side of her face with her fingers.

Laguna shook his head quickly, "N…Not at all!" he answered over his racing mind, _'Oh man, oh man, it's really HER! What do I do? Kiros? Ward? HELP! What do I say? But man, she is pretty…' _he thought, again catching himself staring.

"You okay now?" she asked courteously with a grin on her face, trying to ease his mind and calm him down.

"…Kind of." He said with a faint laugh.

"How's your leg?" she asked, looking under the table.

He was so besotted that he didn't realize what she was talking about initially, "L…Leg? Oh this…yeah, uhh…it's fine." Laguna muttered out in broken syllables as he stomped his foot on the floor underneath the table, trying to relieve the irritating cramp. "Happens all the time when I get nervous." He said and then quickly bit his lip after the unintended statement. He began to cough trying to shake the panicky feeling that had taken control of his whole being.

"Were you nervous?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I still am…kinda!"

"You can relax. You don't have to be nervous around me." She told him, but it was easier said than done.

"Oh…sorry. I tend to get nervous easily."

"It's alright. Say…" she said with smile, seemingly pondering an idea. She slid closer to Laguna, the silky material of her dress grazing his forearm, causing his body to go totally immobile. She leaned in closer, "Would you like to go somewhere private, I have a room here." She whispered.

Laguna could feel his temperature skyrocket as she asked the question. He knew she just wanted to talk, but the idea of having her alone in a room made certain thoughts run ramped in his mind ."In…your room?" he asked as he swallowed.

She nodded and whispered again, "Well, it's pretty hard to talk freely here. Everyone's listening in." she told him, hoping in her mind he would concur. She slid out of the booth, and handed him a small card, "If you'd like to, please come by. I've been wanting to talk to you." She explained in a hopeful tone. He looked up at her quickly and stared down at the card, which simply read the room number.

As he continued to stare down at the card, he pondered the possibilities. He prayed for the day that this would happen, but now that it actually did, he didn't know if he could go through with it. He half wondered if she were intoxicated, inviting him up instead of one of the other neatly groomed gentlemen in attendance. He shook his head out of humor, just thinking of how resentful his colleagues would be seeing him walk out with her, but he didn't want to think of her simply as a means of making himself look like a stud. He respected her, as he did with most women. Most soldiers were just looking for a quickie before heading back off to war, but he was more of the romantic type.

After seeing him shake his head, she assumed he didn't agree, "You don't want to?"

Laguna was afraid he gave her the wrong impression, "Of course I do!" he quickly replied, trying not to sound overexcited.

She smiled, "Then I'll go ahead and wait for you. Just show that card at the front, okay?" she said, and slowly started towards the staircase, looking back to Laguna as she did. As she ascended the steps and disappeared from his view, he looked back at the card.

"Am I dreaming? No, this can't be a dream." Laguna mumbled to himself, totally shocked over events that had transpired.

_This is too weird to be a dream._

"Julia, wants to talk to me?"

_He talks to himself too much._

After Laguna gathered enough common sense, he jumped out of the booth and walked around the crowd, until he found Kiros and Ward sitting at the bar talking. He stood before them without a sound, until Kiros noticed and walked over to him.

"So…" he asked with a shrug.

Ward turned around with a smile on his face and wrapped his arm around Laguna, "Don't keep us in the dark, what'd she say?"

Laguna again looked at the card, making sure it was real, "She uhh…asked me to come up." He told them.

Kiros knew what it sounded like, but it sure didn't sound right, "Up? Up where?" he asked.

Laguna rolled his hand and pointed up, "You know…her room."

"That's not funny man. Her bodyguard might hear you and throw a tantrum." Ward joked after spotting Julia's 'bodyguard' right behind Laguna, who became outraged at the remark. As he turned around with his fist clenched, he stopped cold as he glimpsed at the massive man who spoke it. The man smiled, and slowly inched away, smartly.

Laguna shook his head and rested a hand on it, "I'm not kidding, do you think I'd make something like that up…about her?"

Kiros knew how much he liked Julia, and more than that, knew how respectful Laguna was towards the opposite sex, "Damn, you're serious. Well, don't keep her waiting." Kiros responded with exhilaration, and pointed to the stairs.

Ward, who had already drank much more alcohol than he should have, started to laugh hysterically "Yeah, she keepin' da' udda side of da' bed warm for yooooou!" he yarned with an amusing face.

"Excuse me Sergeant, but do not talk about her like that!" Laguna responded, a bit put out.

"Sorry sirrrrr, _'hic' _I so drunk."

"Besides, she said she wanted to talk to me." Laguna explained.

Kiros shook his head, "Can you really carry on a conversation with Julia? Make sure the conversation's sophisticated."

Laguna said and playfully adjusted his collar, "No worries, man! That's like, my specialty."

Kiros shrugged, knowing Laguna well enough to be aware of how he acts, "One wouldn't say you converse, though. All you do is yap-yap-yap, and never listen."

Laguna shook his head, "No way. Besides, how often does a regular guy like me get to talk to Julia?"

"Okay, just be careful what you say." Kiros added.

Ward gave Laguna another muscled pat on the back, shoving him and sending him ahead a few feet, "Go get her, Laguna!" he spoke, and then hiccupped in his sottish state. Laguna began to walk toward the steps, feeling extremely jittery as he did. His stomach was in knots, having no idea what he was going to do when he got there. He reached the first step, giving a final glance back to Kiros and Ward, who raised their bottles in a sign of good fortune. Laguna took a deep breath, and started up to the lobby. Upon arriving the front desk, he reached in his pocket for the card he had been given. Moving his hand throughout his pocket, he could not find it. Checking the other pocket, he realized he must've dropped in down near the bar. Looking up, he noticed the attendant looking at him with a smile on her face.

Laguna cursed himself for losing the card, and began to speak, "Hi, I…umm. Whi…which room, uhh…"

"Ahh, Mr. Laguna Loire, I've been expecting you." The short-haired woman replied expectantly.

Laguna scratched his head, "Uhh, how did you know it was me?"

"Miss Heartilly told us to look out for a sweet, good looking soldier who seemed lost. Let me show you to her room." She said as she walked out from behind the counter.

Laguna stood motionless for a moment, still remarkably tense, "Oh well…I, it's just that…okay." He stumbled over his words and fidgeted with his hands, before finally following her to the elevator.

The attendant escorted him to the luxury suite on the 21st floor, which was reserved for celebrities and wealthier guests of the hotel. She showed him to the door, and amiably left after a generous tip from Laguna. He stood in front of the door, just staring at it, still not having a clue what to say. What was there to say? She was a classy dame, and he was a dog of war…_'Hi Julia, wanna hear about the time I blew this guy's brains out?' _he thought, wanting to walk away, ashamed with himself that he had nothing classy to talk about.

As he lifted his hand and prepared to knock, the door opened to his surprise, greeted with a smile from the lovely woman, "Hi, thanks for coming." She said, moving off to the side, gesturing for him to enter.

"No…not at all. I mean, thank you for inviting me." He stammered nervously, creeping his way inside the room as if he were sneaking into enemy territory.

"Would you like a glass of wine?" she inquired, walking over to the mini-bar and opening a class of expensive white wine.

"Sure…uh, I mean. Better not, I'm on duty, sorry." Laguna answered, still talking a bit fast.

"It's alright. Have a seat." She said, as she motioned for Laguna to have a seat on the bed. He nodded and walked over, taking a seat on the plush mattress with lavish red bedspread. He looked down then over at Julia who was pouring a drink for herself. He looked around the room as he bobbed back and forth, so incredibly jittery that he couldn't sit still. His eyes studied the suite, the sea-green painted walls, the gold lanterns, the tasteful paintings and the doors that led out to the outer balcony. When he finished, he looked down and saw Julia watching him with a smile on her face. Laguna returned the smile, but was startled as he realized he was sitting on her bed. Laguna hopped off the bed, and walked towards the door as if he were looking for an escape. He was exactly where he wanted to be, but wasn't sure how to act.

"Going so soon? We haven't even talked yet." She stood and asked.

Laguna bowed his head, and took a deep breath. He knew it would be so much easier if he told her what he was feeling, and not have to mask it behind nervous gestures, "No, it's not that. It's just that…I'm a big fan of yours, so I'm really kind of nervous, y'know?" he said, looking up at her, but unable to maintain any solid eye contact.

"So, that's why you come to hear me play so often?"

His head shot up, "You…you saw me?"

"You were always smiling and listening, right?" she asked walking towards him.

He couldn't bring himself to believe what he was hearing, but knew she was being honest from the sincerity in her voice. He gradually began decreasing the distance between them, "I mean…there are always so many people around you, I just can't believe you saw me."

She smiled and laid the wine glass down on the dresser, and sat back on the bed, "I remembered you since the first time I saw you. You looked deep inside my eyes, and I was…well, I was moved. But you haven't looked me in the eye since. Every time I tried, you looked away. I even asked your friends about you."

"Wha…?" You talked to Kiros and Ward? They never told me a thing!" he said, vowing to smack them next time he saw them.

"I asked them to keep it hush. I didn't want to scare you off." She replied, smiling with a slight giggle.

Laguna turned around, and looked at the door, trying not to let her see the emotions in his eyes, "Sorry I…I didn't know."

"You don't need to look away from me. You have beautiful eyes. Though they look a bit scared now." He started to turn around as she spoke. He glanced over at her with gazing greenish-blue eyes, as if he had just seen heaven and never wanted to leave. He too had a hold over her, whether he knew it or not.

She stood up, and walked over to him and took his hand into hers, "Don't worry, I'm not gonna pluck em' out and eat em'. I just want to talk, gazing into those eyes." She told him with passion, as he was finally able to stare deep into her eyes without feeling out of place. Their eyes swelled with emotions both wanted to express, but were afraid of doing. Neither wanted to be hurt, as they had both been old enough to have experienced love at its best and worst. He was twenty-five, just two years her senior, and they had both taken very different paths. At the moment though, he felt as though they were on the same page. Squall could feel the surge of intimate feelings the man was feeling, and was lost in a world of thought.

Laguna finally broke the silence, "I must be dreaming!"

"Why do you say that?"

"I just…its not important." He answered, and she slowly pulled away and again sat on the bed.

"Do you like the military? It must take you to some exotic locations."

He pulled a chair from the side desk, and turned it around, leaning his elbows against the back of the chair, "Sure does. We've been everywhere! Ambervale, Easterly Falls, Figaro…lots of cool places."

"That sounds wonderful! I guess you don't have time to get to know many people." She acknowledged, taking a small drink of her wine.

"Yeah, that stinks. Kiros and Ward are my only real friends right now, only people I spend much time with."

"They seem like nice gentlemen." She replied.

Laguna nodded, and laughed as he thought about what Kiros and Ward were probably talking about at that moment, "Yeah, they're cool."

For a moment, there was silence, as both traded smiles. Julia then looked at the clock, and back to Laguna, "Well, I know we don't have much time, but maybe we could get to know each other a little better."

"Wha…sure! That would be great!" Laguna excitedly replied as he shifted in the seat, almost toppling over. He could barely control himself, seeing that Julia seemingly had an interest in him, which was mind-boggling. He looked deep into her brown eyes, which seemed to locked on him at the moment. Squall looked on through the mans eyes, finding the beautiful woman a bit familiar. He had heard that name before, _Julia Heartilly. Those brown eyes, he knew he seen them somewhere before…but where?_

* * *

It was late…really late. Many guests had either departed or passed out in the booths. Kiros and Ward had a hell of an evening, even with their friend's absence. Another guest of the hotel had challenged Ward to a drinking contest, and with all the bets that were put down, Ward had collected nearly eight thousand gil. Of course, thirteen shots of extremely potent liquor took its tool on Ward, who barely knew where he was. 

Kiros, who only had about three beers, looked up at the decorative clock on the wall, and then leaned against the counter, "Wonder how Laguna's doin?" he said to Ward, who was looking at back at him through a shot glass like he was looking through a microscope.

Another drunken soldier held his beer up in a toast, "The Lieutenant's gettin' lucky!"

Kiros shook his head with a small chuckle, "Don't let him hear you say that. He likes her."

"Hell, I like her too. Man, if I had her alone in a room like that, I'd…" the tall man began to explain in a suggestive manner.

Kiros held up his hand, "We don't need the details." He said, and grabbed his beer. As he prepared to take a drink, the television by the bar caught his attention.

"If you're heading out in town tonight, you'd be well advised to take Krafton Boulevard. An abandoned military vehicle is causin' all sorts of trouble down on Empire Boulevard near the town square, and traffic is backed up for miles…" Kiros watched, noticing the armored vehicle that had caused all the trouble. Laguna had left the vehicle in the middle of Ventura Square, where traffic was abundant on weekends, and had made for a terrible traffic jam.

One obnoxious soldier, wearing his formal officer uniform laughed out loud, "Man, it's a parking lot out there. Someone screwed up on that one." He said cracking up as he departed from the bar.

Kiros watched as the camera panned over the streets, showing automobiles backed up for miles, "Oh boy…" Kiros said placing a hand on his forehead.

As he prepared to take another sip of beer, a voice alarmed him from behind, "Sergeant Seagill, Corporal Larroco, delivering a message from General Daves!" the young soldier said with a salute.

"What is it?" Kiros asked.

"The Timber Army is advancing towards Ft. Hawk Missile Base, he needs all off-duty military to report back to HQ on the double!" the soldier reported in a very strict manner.

Timber was not wasting anytime on the offensive, "Ten-four." He told the soldier, and turned around to let Ward know, "Ward."

Ward shifted in his seat, and smiled from his semi-conscious state, "mmm…I like popsicles…cherry…"

Kiros was a bit frustrated Ward had gotten so intoxicated on duty, "WARD!" he yelled, shaking Ward vigorously, trying to wake him, "Come on, we gotta get Laguna and get back to base. The missile base is under attack."

Ward waved him off with hit flickering eyes, "Okay, I'll catch up…mmm, ketchup…"

"Get up!"

"Okay…I'm comin'…geez!" Ward said as he staggered off the barstool, as him and Kiros rushed to find Laguna.

* * *

Three hours had passed, and they barely scratched the surface on getting to know one another. Both wanted to know as much as possible, but time was running short. Laguna had revealed more to her than he ever had to anyone else, about his past, present and future aspirations. They were out on the balcony, which overlooked nightclubs and mosques, but neither was focused on anything but each other. If it was only for one night, it was one neither would soon forget. 

"Yeah, so I don't like fighting too much. But I get to travel, y'know? See new places and stuff. And it's fun cuz Kiros and Ward are with me." He told her, before a stimulating idea came to mind. "Hey, we should all go drinking sometime, Whaddya say?" Laguna became excited and asked her as he leaned forward in anticipation.

Julia laughed slightly at his boyish comment, and nodded, "That would be nice…"

Laguna excitedly clapped after hearing her answer, "Oh yeah, and like, the other day, one of my articles made the readers column, and..." Laguna continued, amazed with how comfortable he had become with her. In two years, he couldn't even bring himself to make eye contact with her, and now he was having an articulate conversation with the pianist. Just then, he could picture Kiros' face looking at him and laughing as he rambled on about this and that. Laguna realized he had been doing exactly what he always did. He got so carried away with his life story, that he hadn't even let her get a word in.

"Geez…" Laguna cussed, slapping his forehead.

"What's wrong?" she asked a bit concerned.

"I tend to get carried away when I'm talking. I promised I wasn't going to do that…"

"Why, I'm really interested. I love what you've told me so far." She answered still gazing at him with starry eyes.

Laguna paused for a moment and stared at her, admiring how beautiful she was under the star studded sky. "So, tell me about yourself, like your dreams for the future."

Julia shook her head, and bowed it, "Oh, its silly."

"Don't say that. What is it?" he said, encouraging her.

"I…" she began, a bit timid. "I want to sing. Not just play the piano, but sing too."

Laguna's eyes burst open, "Oh! I'd really love to hear it."

"But I can't. I'm not good at writing lyrics."

"Damn, that sucks." He replied hardheadedly. He wanted to support her, but sometimes could not find the right words to do so. He was not used to it, thus he wasn't very good at it.

"But, thanks to you, I think I can come up with something."

Laguna stood shocked. "…Thanks to me?"

"Yes. About the many faces you've shown me." She said as she inched nearer to him, placing a delicate hand on his cheek. "Times when you were hurt, worried, or felt pain deep inside you. Your smiles, your face, your eyes…" she said passionately as her lips neared his until they gently touched, sending a jolt of heavenly shockwaves through both of them. As the kiss ended, Laguna's eyes remained closed, hoping to savor the moment for all eternity.

He opened his eyes, looking back the beautiful brunette sitting across from him, "I must be dreaming." He quietly reflected, words barely able to purge from his lips.

"It's not a dream, is it?" she asked a bit tearfully, not able to hide her emotions. She leaned forward once again to kiss him, not wanting the night to end. Suddenly, before their lips made contact once more, a knock interrupted the moment. Julia looked up at Laguna and smile, and he just shrugged. She broke away from his touch and walked to the door. Upon opening it, Kiros was standing there, appearing a bit impatient.

"Sorry to disturb you. Is Laguna in here?" Kiros questioned with a frantic tone in his voice.

Laguna walked in from the balcony, "What is it, Kiros?"

"New orders! We need to get back to headquarters, on the double! General Daves' orders." Kiros said, and walked away quickly, knowing Laguna would want to say goodbye.

"Damn!" Laguna cursed as he walked towards the open door as Julia stood there, obviously disappointed. "I'm sorry to cut this evening short, but I have to go." He told her as he stood before her, just as upset as she was. They had came so far in such a short time, and now it was about to end, so suddenly.

Before Laguna could even get another word out, Julia wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. As much as she wanted to keep him there with her, she knew it was his job to protect the country in the midst of war. Tears swelled in her eyes, as the thought of never seeing him again lingered in her mind, and that thought alone was tearing her apart. "Will I ever see you again?"

Laguna took a deep breath, trying not to let her see how much it hurt him to leave. He stepped back from her embrace, holding her hand in his as he nodded. "Of course, I have to come hear you sing." He said, and began to turn towards the door, but unable to look away. She was a sight for sore eyes, a glimmer of gold in what was otherwise a barren existence. Until that night, he thought himself incapable of feeling such emotions, but she changed that, and he welcomed it. He vowed then and there he would return and reclaim her, no matter the circumstances. As he closed the door, he memorized her face, tracing every bump and curve from her cheek to her chin, her eyes…_her lips_. He made sure that wherever he was, he could close his eyes, and imagine he was with her, wherever she was.

He would not forget her.

* * *

Whoa, that was fast, huh? Gotta keep running with it! 

**Inside Look**

Added a bunch of extra stuff, and I hope you enjoyed it more than the games version, which I wasn't particularly fond of. I also didn't want to make Laguna seem like a moron, just a little lost at times. Hope it worked! Not much else to say here, so I'll just move on.

**Prodigy's Corner**

Not many reviews, oh well…like I said, I really love reviews, cuz knowing my story is being read and enjoyed is what keeps me going. It's more than that this time though. After reading Peptuck's, I am intent on completing my version, which will be similar, yet very different. If I had to explain how mine is going to be different, I would probably say that it will be a lot more fantasy-like. Lot's of GF's and magic, lots of side quests that will tie into the story rather than slow it down, but like Peptuck's, it'll have its fair share of sci-fi and technology. And, of course, a ridiculous amount of originality. Enough rambling…

**DBZ FF Queen**: I could've went either way with the hair, but being in the military it just felt odd having a man with that much hair. But don't worry, he will soon dawn his flowing black hair. I don't wanna give the Major thing away or spoil it, but like I said, if you know the game, you probably know who it is. Now let me finish my beef!

**Noacat**: Won't be seeing Laguna saying 'whatever' much, it was more of just a way to make Squall think.

**Kaiser**: Yes, back for good, pending people lose interest, then there's really no reason. Nida will have at least a moment, especially the way I have the Garden battle playing out.

Okay, dats it fo' now! Every chapter I've posted thus far has been posted at least once in the past, but guess what? The next chapter and so on will be debuts! And unlike last time when I got to this point and I was burnt out, I am just getting started now, so get ready for what's coming.

Next chapter will still be out next Friday, since I want to take this time to revise older chapters and perfect the next. But hey, ya never know, it might come out earlier. But as of now, look for next Thursday or Friday. Lata y'all!

**Prodigy**


	11. Chapter VIII: The Good, the Bad, and th...

**Chapter VIII**

**_The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly_**

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1007 hrs**

The world which he had been entangled in faded to black, a pure and perfect darkness, but accompanied with his own senses once again. He could feel his arm begin to jerk, but this time on his own will, and felt his cheek pressed against the grainy red carpet of the cabin floor. He cautiously let his eyes open, letting the cabin lights gradually meet his eyes. He peeked out through his half-opened eyelids, noticing that they were once again back on the train, in the over-decorated SeeD compartment, which was the last place he remembered feeling somewhat normal, or what can be classified as such.

He could feel the tingling sensation still lingering in the back of his head. He slid his arm slowly underneath his frame, and slowly pushed himself to his knees. He struggled to his feet, with a wave of dizziness consuming him as he stood upright. He stumbled, straying his foot backwards to prevent tumbling to the ground. He continued to reflect on the preternatural incident, never once comprehending the meaning behind it, or how or why it happened for that matter.

As his eyes focused, he watched as Zell and Selphie squirmed, also attempting to stand up. Squall ran his gloved hand through his almond brown tresses, and stretched his strained back and neck, after spending nearly eighteen excruciating hours in an awkward sleeping position. He analyzed the room thoroughly, looking for any sign of broken entry or theft. To his amazement, nothing had been altered. The towering stack of jumbled information still laid cluttered just the way he laid it on the bed. His gunblade, SeeD pin, ring and necklace were all intact, which were the only things on him he was really concerned about. Squall shook his head, glancing over at Zell and Selphie as they stumbled around woozily.

"Were we…all asleep?" Squall asked groggily.

Zell spun around, eying the air ducts in the compartment, "Maybe someone released some sleeping gas. There are lots of people who resent SeeD." Squall nodded, agreeing with the unusually clever remark from the brawler.

"Are we missing anything, anyone hurt?" Selphie questioned, as her and Zell checked their belongings as well.

"I don't think so." replied Squall.

"What a relief! Everything's cool with me!" Selphie affirmed, returning to her usual cheery state. "Mmm, I had such a nice dream!" she exclaimed as she stretched out.

Squall nodded and turned his head to the side, _'I had a dream too. It wasn't nice though…' he_ thought, looking back up with a befuddled glare, _'I dreamt I was a moron.'_ The dream had been beyond surreal; no normal explanation would be sufficed.

"But seriously, that Laguna guy was so hot!" Selphie spoke in a dreamy voice.

Squall froze after hearing the name that left Selphie's mouth. "What did you just say?" he started, before a wide-eyed Zell interrupted.

"Hey, there was a Laguna in my dream too! He's a Galbadian soildier, right?" Zell questioned.

"Laguna…Kiros…and Ward?" Squall finished, realizing that they all inexplicably may have had the same experience.

"Huh?" Zell choked out, baffled. "How the hell'd ya know that?"

"Is it possible we all had the same dream?" Squall asked. Usually, such intuitions would be too far fetched for him to even consider, but there was no other explanation at that point.

"There's no way we can understand this, so let's just concentrate on the mission for now." Selphie suggested.

_'She's probably right, no use in dwelling on this.'_ Squall thought, and looked back over at his team, "We'll put this incident on hold. I'll include this incident in the mission out-brief once we get back to Garden." Squall told the group, and walked over to the bed, making sure all the mission files were intact. He sat down and read the paper lying on top.

_"This contract…", _were the only two words he managed to read, before the announcement that ETA was in fifteen minutes stopped him mid-sentence.

Squall slammed the file back on the bed. _"Great, didn't even get to review all the details. Damn it!"_ he screamed subconsciously, but figured there couldn't be much to it, seeing as it was given so little attention in the first place.

Zell clapped his hands, excited for a mission that would probably contain little to no action whatsoever. "We should be there soon, eh? Psyche yourself up, baby!"

All three took the remaining time they had left aboard the train to change their clothes and freshen up so that they would look professional and prepared. The train came to a halt around 10:30, and minutes later were informed they could disembark. After Zell and Selphie exited the cabin, Squall performed one final inspection, checking the vents, walls, corners, and every small space in the cabin, searching for any sign of foul play that might explain what happened. He came up empty though; only finding a gold earring that someone must've left in there before. He gathered up the files, and exited the room.

Upon stepping off, they walked up to the baggage claim counter that was located just a short ten feet from the train, showing the lady the ticket they were given. She typed the voucher number into her computer, and looked up with a bright smile on her face.

"SeeD's, wow! Not everyday we see you guys in our neck of the woods." She spoke jovially. Squall leaned against the counter and eyed her, letting her know he was not there to chat. The lady walked to the side room and retrieved their luggage, and reached under the counter to grab something. "Okay, here's your baggage, and the key to the SeeD locker." She finished, laying the duffle bags on the counter and handing a keycard to Squall. He looked at the SeeD logo on the card, not sure of what it was for.

"SeeD locker?" he asked.

The girl gave him a cockeyed glance, "Yeah…it's all the way down, and to the right." She spoke, not sure why he seemed unaware as to what it was. Squall, nor Zell or Selphie, had been informed of any type of storage units SeeD had in Timber or anywhere else. They followed the directions the young woman gave them and walked around the corner into narrow corridor with red-painted walls and two long rows of old, black wall-lockers. They walked along; looking at each locker trying to find the one that belonged to Garden, but each black locker required a regular metal key rather than a card. Upon reaching the end, they saw no sign of any type of locker that belonged to Garden.

Zell leaned against the final locker, "So, where the hell is it?" he asked with a yawn. Squall shrugged and looked around, seeing nothing until he spotted a computerized screen on the wall next to them, with a rotating SeeD logo on the screen. He noticed a slot for a card and inserted it, which then prompted him for his SeeD identification number, which was the same as his cadet ID. After entering the five-digit code, a device erected from the wall before him, complete with a pair of ocular lenses. The manly robotic voice instructed him to look directly into the scanner without blinking.

Zell chuckled, "Damn, now I know what Garden's been spendin' all their money on." He commented, as Selphie laughed, and Squall nodded in concurrence. He widened his eyes, and looked into the lenses, as a piercing red light beamed in his eye.

_'Retina scan…awaiting verification…' _the voice stated, and after a moment, the device retracted back into the wall _'Leonhart, Squall. SeeD Field Sergeant, confirmed.'_ It said as the wall lifted into the ceiling, revealing a steel-enforced locker. Squall pushed down on the handle and pulled it open, revealing a wide assortment of SeeD items, such as eye drops, antidotes, echo screens and various stones for refining magical energy.

"Well, at least we know we'll have plenty of supplies." Selphie added as she skimmed through the inventory.

"We won't need much, just take a few Magic stones and potions, then let's go." Squall told them, as each of them took five Magic stones, which were much like M-Stone pieces, with the exception that they carried about three times as much magical energy. Each also took four potions, and Squall grabbed a few eye drops and antidotes, a Phoenix Down in case of a grave injury, and equipped a holy water just in case worse came to worse. He brought them just so they were prepared for something unexpected, but was pretty sure they wouldn't need any extra supplies. They loaded their bags into the locker for the time being and closed it, watching as it disappeared behind the wall once again, and left.

Upon stepping out of the small train station, it was clear how shoddy the town actually was. Bums and stray dogs littered the benches and walkways. A local drunkard stumbled past them and belched, and Selphie fanned the sour stench away from her face.

"Boy, not a very good first impression." She stated.

The group continued down the walkway and towards the staircase that led into the heart of Timber. From their viewpoint, they had a good view of what most of Timber looked like, and smelled like as well. Zell grumbled and coughed as the smell of factory smoke and rotten garbage filled his lungs. Smokestacks were everywhere, broken down factories and waste plants polluted the achromous town. Every house and building in foreseeable distance appeared to be decrepit and unkempt, while hoards of trash flew along the streets like tumbleweeds.

Zell kicked the remains of a broken liquor bottle that was in his path, "Man, this place is a dump!"

"The slums of Galbadia. Get used to it." Squall stated and continued down the stairwell into the town. Squall glanced around, looking for any sign of their contact, but saw no one that struck him as a faction member. He knew he didn't want to spend any more time then he had to in Timber, so whatever the mission was, he wanted to finish it and get the hell out of there.

Reaching the bottom of the old, cement stairwell, a voice called out, "Hey folks…first time in Timber?" a flinty, male voice asked. As the group looked over, a young man reading a '_Timber Times_' newspaper was looking at them, waiting for an answer.

Zell grunted with disgust, "Yeah, first and last."

"Yeah, the forests of Timber sure have changed." The young man commented, Squall immediately looking over at the man who spoke the first phrase of the code sentence. He was wearing a blue beanie cap over his long, dark brown hair, a yellow life-vest with a long sleeved white shirt underneath, olive-green cargo pants and black sneakers. An odd outfit, but not out of place in the shantytown.

"…But the owls are still around." Squall replied, finishing the sentence. The man smiled, folded the paper under his arm, and bowed his head.

"Welcome to Timber, sir! Please follow me." He told them as he shot forth into the town, and the three SeeD's followed. "Please, this way sir!" he exclaimed as he waved them on. They walked on through was looked like the residential part of town, seeing broken down complexes as well as the impoverished citizens that leered at them with envious eyes. Vehicle wreckage remained mid-road and unattended to. Many shops and small businesses had broken windows and doors due to vandals and thieves, with spray-painted houses and town walls. No one deserved to live like that, in a day and age that most prospered, and those who didn't at least had shelters and welfare programs. Timber was no such place though, just an example of how wicked Vinzer Deling really was. Timber was a black hole on the planet, and it reflected Deling's black soul.

They continued down numerous streets and backroads, until coming to what looked like a small abandoned train station, with a single locomotive, painted yellow, white and silver, with a big-eyed owl logo on the side. They walked up alongside the car with tinted windows, and up to the door near the front.

"One moment, sir." The young man told Squall, and pounded on the steel door of the locomotive. From the other side of the door, a blaring male voice responded.

"What's the password?" the voice asked with a suspicion in his voice.

"It's me, sir!" the hippie-looking young man they were with, stated.

"What's the password?" the voice asked again, this time more demandingly.

The young man lightly hit his forehead with his open palm a few times, trying to remember the password, "Umm, uhh…teapot…asparagus…milkbiscuit?" he guessed, speaking random words as they came to mind.

The voice behind the door cursed, and quickly began to unlock the door, and then opened it, "Damn it Watts, next time you better remember the password, or I'm not gonna let yer sorry ass in!" the man who opened the door replied. The man standing there was young as well, sporting a blue hoodie, black denim shorts, uncombed short black hair and an earring in his nose and eyebrow.

"Is that them?" he asked, pointing at the trio.

The young hippy shrugged, "I guess, they gave the correct password." He answered.

The black haired man shook his head at the dull-witted answer, and then walked over towards the group. "Welcome to Timber. Please follow me, we don't have much time." He informed them, and walked back on the train, with the hippy following. Squall was livid he had been tasked with such a bland assignment, even if it was only his first. His skills could've been put to much better use than what these two simpletons had planned for him. Why would Cid approve a request from such a disorganized group? Cid was kind, but he wouldn't be foolish enough to give just anybody three SeeD's to use at their disposal, or would he?

Entering the first cabin of the car, it was cramped and colorless, with doors to the side and straight-ahead, and a staircase to the left that led further into the train to other rooms and compartments. "So, you guys are SeeD's?" the man in blue asked, seeming like he was hiding his excitement.

Squall nodded, "I'm the squad leader, Squall Leonhart. This is Selphie, and Zell." He introduced himself and his team.

"Nice to meet ya, I'm the leader of the Forest Owls, Oliver. But everyone just calls me Zone!" the black haired man introduced, extending a welcoming hand out to Squall, who crossed his arms and just stared off. Zone noticed his employee was not going to oblige, then moved on and shook Zell and Selphie's hands.

With all the pleasantries out of the way, Squall spoke. "So let's get on with it, what do we do?" He asked, wanting to get straight to the point.

Zone shot him look and held up a hand, "Just take it easy! Here, let me introduce you…guess you already met Watts." He said pointing over to the hipster who greeted them at the train station.

"Yes, a pleasure!" Watts said as he waved at the group, who just nodded. He was obviously just a gopher, seeing the way that the man names Zone treated him. He was the type of person who wasn't taken seriously, maybe because of the way he dressed, but he did seem very polite.

"I guess it's just our princess then." Zone stated as looked over at Watts expectantly, as if telling him to fetch her.

"It's our princess' nap time, sir." Watts informed Zone, who stomped his foot.

"Ahh man…I don't want to wake her up. Just go get tell her SeeD is here." He told Watts, who shook his head quickly as if he were afraid.

"Sir, you know how she is when she's tired." Watts stated in a shaky voice.

Zone nodded and rubbed his chin, before looking over at the SeeD's and stumbling over an idea, "She might not be so hostile if it's a stranger." He stated as his eyes met those of the SeeD leader, "Hey Squall, sorry, but could you go get our princess? She's in the last room, up those stairs." He informed Squall, pointing to the steps. Squall looked over at Zell, not sure he had heard the question right. Had the man actually asked Squall to give their '_princess'_ a wake-up call? He was already agitated that Garden sent them on that assignment, so that first order didn't sit well with him.

"You hired SeeD to run your damn errands? Well!" Squall demanded, obviously furious.

Both Zone and Watts backed up against wall, trying to retreat from Squall's malicious glare. "Are…are you angry?" Zone questioned, fearfully.

"We are going to set up for the strategy meeting. We wouldn't ask you otherwise, sir." Watts explained over-politely, pointing into the room next to him. That didn't seem to be the real reason though. It seemed that this 'princess' wasn't a pleasant person when she was woke up unexpectedly. So, rather than take their chances with a grouchy woman, he decided to piss off a highly trained mercenary. _Smart choice_. Still, Squall wasn't going to reject the order from a paying client, even if that order was completely ludicrous.

Squall looked off to the side, bit his lip, and looked back with a calmer expression. "This is the last time for this kind of thing." Squall insisted sternly, yet coolly. Zone and Watts smartly empathized, and Squall walked toward the steps, slowly taking his unyielding eyes off of them.

"Way to go Squall, they can't treat us that way!" Selphie exclaimed.

Zell let out a perturbed hiss, "Maybe we can buy their groceries, too!" Zell stated sarcastically, loud enough so that the two men next to them could hear. Squall continued up the stairs and down the constricted corridor. He walked by several rooms on his way, glancing in every one to get a better feel of who he was working for. He walked by one room that looked like a control area with computers, monitors and other gadgets, with several unidentified members of the faction sitting around, chatting and playing Triple Triad. Passing by, he swore one of the members looked exactly like Vinzer Deling, but just dismissed that thought and kept walking. Upon reaching the final door, which was nicely decorated unlike the other steel doors he passed along the way, he stopped. He knocked lightly on the door and waited a few moments, not hearing a single sound inside the room. This irritated him even further, but remained composed as he opened the door slowly.

Walking inside, the fragrance of ambrosia scented candles overtook his senses. He looked around, the pink painted walls, pink carpeting, and pink everything else made him cringe. It looked like a room that belonged to a teenybopper, not the supposed leader of a rebel faction. It was decked out with curtains and lavish furniture such as dresser, a desk and vanity mirror, and a gold-posted, queen-sized bed, with a pink mattress, of course. On that mattress though, lied the 'princess', who was curled up in the fetal position, sleeping peacefully. Squall inched closer, somewhat hesitantly, seeing the girl's black strands hair spread out on the pillow. The lean woman was wearing only what looked like black shorts and tank top.

'_Nice body,'_ he thought for a second, then cursed himself subconsciously, looking over toward the desk, whereupon he noticed a long, sky-blue dress neatly folded over the back of the seat, and pair of black boots next to the legs of the chair. He was also drawn to a small picture frame that sat on the corner of the desk. He slowly walked over and picked it up, as a silver necklace with a ring on it dangled from it. He was never one to snoop or be nosy, but some unknown force compelled him to it. The picture inside was of a little girl no older than three, and a woman in her late twenties, with her slender arms wrapped around the child. The woman seemed strangely familiar as his eyes narrowed in on the face.

'_Isn't that…'_ he thought, before a startled voice shouted out.

"What do you think you're doing in…" the voice began to yell, as Squall laid the picture back on the desk and turned. The girl froze as she seen his face, and blinked in astonishment.

"Wait, you're…you know, from the party!" she exclaimed with a bright smile.

Squall was confused as to what she was talking about, _'Party? What is she…_' he thought, until her face quickly jogged his memory, helping him to recognize the fair beauty he shared the dance with at the ball._ 'Holy hell, it's her…"_ he shouted in his mind, after convincing himself a few days earlier that he would never see her again. If that wasn't a coincidencewhat was?

"So, does that mean…you're a SeeD?" she asked, hope gleaming in her chocolaty brown eyes.

He nodded, "Field Sergeant Squall Leonhart, there are two others with me." He stated, trying his damnedest to remain poised and professional.

The girl jumped out of her bed, possessed with overwhelming emotion, "Oh Hyne…SeeD is here!" the girl jived as she bolted at Squall, tightly wrapping both her arms around his neck with her momentum spinning them both. Squall twirled around with the girl, holding his arms out, careful not to touch her. Human contact was something Squall was not familiar with, which was why he didn't care for friendly exchanges such as handshakes and pats on the back. As the spin ended, she landed softly back on her toes, and released him from her grasp.

"Take it easy." He told her, dusting off his black t-shirt.

"It's just that…I'm so happy! I've been sending requests to Garden forever, but nothing. I'm glad I spoke to Cid directly." She explained, as she walked around him and slipped into the blue dress that was on the chair, and buttoned it up in the front. On the back of the dress were two embroidered, white angel wings around her shoulder blades, which made her seem even more heavenly. She also slipped on two cotton wristbands that started at her wrists and extended halfway to her elbow. The wristbands matched the dress, a perfect ensemble of fashion for the young lady.

Squall finally realized why she left him so quickly at the ball. "Oh, so you were looking for the Headmaster at the party?" he asked.

"Yes, and no…" she started as she ran a comb through her slightly messy hair and then looked over at the SeeD. "Do you know Seifer Almasy?" she asked, and Squall took a deep breath. How the hell did she know Seifer? Seifer frequented many girls over the years, but from what he could tell, she seemed like the relationship type, and not the one-night-stand floozies that he was accustomed to. Seifer and relationships were about as compatible as fire and gasoline, so Squall knew he had to have met her under different circumstances. She was maybe a friend to him at most, but even that was far-fetched.

Thinking Squall didn't know who he was, she described him, "Tall, blonde hair, good looking…"

"…Yeah." Squall stopped her, sick over her verbal profile of the blonde egotist.

"He's the one who introduced me to Cid. Cid is such a nice man." She explained. "I really didn't think SeeD would come out here and help a measly little group like us. But after explaining the situation, Cid gave us the go ahead right away." After hearing what she had to say, Squall finally seen some suitable reasons as to why the Headmaster may have approved the request. It may have been because of his opposition of Deling, or maybe even the fact that he was just happy to see Seifer thinking about someone else for a change. It wasn't important now; whatever the reason, the mission was a go.

"Now that you guys are here, we will be able to carry out all kinds of plans." She explained as she laced up her boots. He didn't care what she had planned, just as long as it was done quickly.

"I'm going back to the others." Squall told her, backing up towards the door.

"Okay, let's go." She agreed, but stopped again quickly. "Umm, Squall…is _he_ here?" she asked, Squall knowing full well the '_he_' she was referring to.

"No, he's not a SeeD." he told her.

"Oh…" the girl said, a bit disappointed. Before Squall could turn to walk out, he realized that he didn't even know the girl's real name.

"So, do you have a name, or should I just call you 'princess?" he asked with his arms crossed.

She giggled at the dry humor, and replied. "It's not as conceited as it sounds. It's just a codename. My real name is Rinoa Heartilly. Nice to meet you Squall!" she said to him, surprisingly not offering a handshake as an intro. He guessed the bear hug she gave him covered that front.

Her name echoed in his mind, _'Rinoa…Rinoa Heartilly…Heartilly? Huh?' _he thought, before her voice once again took him by surprise.

"So, SeeD members dance quite well, don't they?" she asked in a flirtatious manner.

"Approach your target inconspicuously at a dance party." Squall started, "There may be missions requiring this sort of subterfuge. It's expected of SeeD to learn various skills."

"Oh, so its work related…" she asked and walked towards him. "…That's too bad." She finished, seemingly let down. Just then, a slight pant could be heard in the next room, as the curtains that were draped over the doorframe were ruffled and swayed. Seconds later, a beautiful brown and white furred border collie trotted out and stood next to Rinoa, nestling up to her leg.

"Hey girl!" she smiled and knelt down, scratching underneath the canine's ears. "Here let me introduce you. This is my partner, Angelo. Do you like dogs?" she asked Squall.

"I guess." He replied with a shrug. He had never really been near many dogs, so he didn't really have an opinion.

"Well do you or don't you?" she asked, not satisfied with the dismissive answer he gave her.

His preference of dogs held no relevancy to his mission, so Squall turned and began to walk towards the door again. "I'm heading back with the others."

"Okay." Rinoa smiled and nodded, "I have some important business to do now. Be good, Angelo!" she spoke to her four-legged friend as she petted it, and then followed Squall as he left the room. They walked back to the main cabin where the two SeeD's were waiting, chit-chatting about random experiences they'd been through. They both stood up as Squall and the unnamed girl arrived, preparing to join Zone and Watts in the next room.

Squall walked up to his teammates, and introduced them. "This is Zell Dincht and Selphie Tilmitt."

"Hi. I'm Rinoa, nice to meet you." She said, shaking both of their hands. "I don't know how much information you were provided, but we are going to go over our whole plan, step by step. Please follow me." She explained, walking into the room where the meeting was to take place. As Rinoa walked in, followed by Selphie, Squall started towards the door, but was stopped by Zell.

"She's a looker, huh Squall!" Zell whispered, raising his blonde eyebrows as he grinned.

"Maybe you should ask her out." Squall suggested.

Zell considered the idea, "You think?"

Squall shook his head, "Keep focused Zell! We're here for support, not to flirt with the clientele." Squall ordered, and made his way inside.

"Well, 'scuse me!" Zell replied, and followed Squall into the room.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1219 hrs**

It had been long, sleepless night inside the restricted concrete cell that Seifer had been confined to; time lagging as if it were weighed down with an anchor. His mind was cluttered with nebulous visions of his all but forgotten past, which made relaxing damn near impossible, and the aluminum, four-post bed and bumpy mattress was about as comfortable as sleeping on a wet log. He had spent most the night mulling over a promise he made, one he intended to keep. He was never one to give his word on anything, but when he did, he held true to it. Still, there wasn't much he could do in his present state.

In the hours following taps, an eerie veil of silence had fell upon the entire basement level, as the SeeD guards retired for the night in the cots inside the guard shack. Seifer figured that if he couldn't sleep, he sure as hell wasn't going to let them get a wink either. He had spent a good hour raking a tin water cup along the bars the cell, loudly singing a medley of galling songs that would drive anyone mad. Eventually, it got to the point where the SeeD's shackled him up, and were contemplating giving him a sedative, but it didn't come to that. When morning arrived, they had a brought him a full tray of breakfast from the cafeteria, which was very appetizing to the famished Seifer. He had spent the time since in a jaded daze, slipping in and out sleep as he sat on the edge of his bed.

Amidst his exhaustion, a blaring voice alarmed him. "Almasy, wake up, you got visitors. You got five minutes."

Seifer looked up with red eyes, "Lucky me. Is it your wife?" he mockingly replied.

"Go fuck yourself." The pudgy SeeD guard named Lynch, shot back. Seifer stood and leaned against the bars, watching as the SeeD guard ducked back into the office, and Raijin and Fujin appeared from the hallway and walked toward his chastising cage.

"SEIFER. ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Fujin questioned after taking note of Seifer's uncharacteristically lull form.

"What do you think? It's not as cozy as it looks."

"How long you here for?" Raijin inquired.

Seifer shrugged, "Could be a day, a week, month, year…you get the picture." He explained, "What are you doing here?"

Raijin smiled, "That Timber matter you were wondering about, it's a go, ya know. It was approved." He informed Seifer, who breathed in a sigh of relief. Until then, he had a preconceived notion that Cid was a good-for-nothing, lazy ass who would be congenial in your presence, and then play you behind your back. He still he had little respect for the man, but at least he had kept his word.

"Well, at least its good news." Seifer replied.

"PROBLEM." Fujin declared, and Seifer's brow narrowed.

"What problem?" Seifer questioned, his focus shifting over to the tall Burmecian, "Raijin, what is it?" he demanded, Raijin seeming obviously disinclined.

"They sent Squall, ya know." Raijin told him.

"What?" Seifer questioned, although not entirely against the decision. _Jealous, was the more fitting term_. More than anything, though, he wanted the mission to be a success, for her. If he couldn't be there to ensure the plan was properly executed, he knew Squall, along with the assistance of three or four veteran SeeD's would get the job done. He chalked it up to Cid wanting to get Squall's feet wet, which wasn't a bad idea, but Seifer would've given anything to be part of that mission.

"Who else?" Seifer asked, still curious as to who Squall had been partnered with.

Raijin recounted as he scratched his head, "Uhh, Dincht, and that other chick that just made SeeD, ya know." He stated as Seifer's eyes bloomed with mounting rage as he grabbed the bars and pulled himself in, as if trying to rip the steel door from its frame.

"Chicken-shit and the messenger girl? Three rookie SeeD's, that's it?" he blared.

"Yeah, I hacked into the SeeD Deployment Database, ya know. That's what it said." Raijin explained, before a steady jab from Fujin connected with his right bicep.

"TRUTH!" she insisted.

"Alright…it was Fujin." Raijin corrected.

"Damn it Cid, I knew you'd mess it up one way or another!" Seifer muttered.

"Here, take this. We don't have much time, so we have to execute this immediately. " he stated, discreetly handing the paper to Fujin.

"What is it?" Raijin asked as Fujin unfolded it, and began browsing Seifer's instructions.

"Let's just say I knew this was gonna happen. They're as good as dead if they try to pull this one of on their own. " he told Raijin, just before spotting Lynch making his way back over to break up their reunion. "Here comes the guard! Raijin, meet me at the front gate; one hour." He demanded in a subdued voice.

Fujin looked at Seifer with her one functional eye, "SEIFER…" she spoke, concerned for Seifer's safety.

"Fuu, please. Just do it." He said, his emerald eyes portraying a modest desperation.

Although she didn't approve of Seifer's plan, she reluctantly complied. "LET'S GO!" she commanded, as she turned swiftly and was followed out by Raijin, who asked questions the entire way. It was short notice, but he was sure that they would come through with what he asked of them. _Well, at least Fujin._ But the task of getting out of the cell, and ultimately out of Garden rested solely on his shoulders. But even if he did manage make it out of the cell, there was still the task of getting past a legion of SeeD's, armed with Guardian Forces, para-magic and automatic rifles.

He had to think of something, and fast.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1233 hrs**

"Expulsion?" Xu asked, sitting before the Headmaster's polished desk with her legs crossed.

Cid nodded, "Yes. It's not official, but I'm sure that's what it's going to come to. NORG and the faculty have had enough." He stated, pressing black ink into numerous documents as he gave his signature.

"For once, I can't say I disagree with them. But it's your decision, sir." Xu stated. She didn't care for the Garden faculty any more than he did, but that was one thing she couldn't argue with. Seifer needed to go.

"I want to Seifer released, and in my office today. I don't think sitting a cell is going to teach him anything." Cid continued.

"What about NORG?" Xu asked. She was one of only fifteen members of the SeeD force that was aware of NORG's existence, which meant that any and all decisions that NORG made, the repercussions were felt by Cid, and Cid alone.

"I don't need his permission. Seifer is _my_ student, and Satius could care less if he lives or dies. So get him out of there, immediately." Cid explained as he signed the release form and handed it over to Xu.

"Yes, sir." She acknowledged, grabbing the paper and exiting quickly. Stepping out of the office, Xu closed the door, rolling her eyes at the Headmaster's decision. It seemed that the Headmaster's graciousness and generosity was going to get Seifer off the hook, yet again.

Quistis, who had been sitting one of the brown leather, guest chairs reading a magazine, rose to her feet. "What's wrong Xu? Are we still going to lunch?"

Xu nodded and began walked towards the elevator, "Sure, but take a walk with me. I have to do something for the Headmaster first." She said, and then explained the situation as they made their way to the lower levels.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1242 hrs**

Seifer paced back and forth in the little space he had, wracking his brain trying to come up with something. _What could he say or do that would make anyone listen?_ His credibility was shot, and no one inside the walls of Balamb Garden would give him the time of day.

_Wait. Maybe there was._ If there was one person who might listen to what he had to say, he knew who it was. _Former_ Instructor No. 217, Quistis Trepe. They weren't on the best of terms, not that they'd ever been, but now that he needed her help he saw no reason other than compassion that she'd even humor the idea of helping him. In all fairness though, it wasn't himself he was worried about. Not this time. It was for the girl he gave his word to, and even a little for the group of inexperienced SeeD's that didn't have a snowballs chance in hell of making it out of Timber if they were caught. He didn't know what she'd say or how'd she react, but he knew he had to try.

Seifer moved to the corner of his cell, trying to get a glimpse into the office to get the guards attention, noticing Staff Sergeant Lynch, and an upperclassman cadet who was most likely getting his qualifications for watchstanding, rummaging through his belongings. They seemed especially infatuated with his gunblade, as both took turns holding it and admiring its glory. Seifer bit his bottom lip as he watched them play with his gunblade as if it were a child's toy. Usually, Seifer would verbally assassinate the guards for laying a finger on his beloved Hyperion, but this time there were more important issues at hand.

"Guard!" Seifer screamed numerous times, until Lynch emerged from the guard shack, leering at Seifer. "I need to speak to Quistis Trepe."

Lynch laughed, "You're not in any position to be making requests, so shut up!" he yelled decisively.

"Look, if you just tell her…" Seifer began again, before Lynch turned around and cursed yet again.

"Shut…the hell…up!" he demanded.

Now, Seifer was mad. Rationality was definitely not one of his virtues, and Lynch had already crossed the line between civilized and Seifer. He had tried to ask nicely, but Lynch had shown no interest in what he had to say. It was a fruitless attempt on Seifer's behalf at being logical.

_Fuck logic._

"Why don't you make me?" Seifer retorted, with deadly scowling eyes targeted on the pertinacious SeeD.

"Don't tempt me." Lynch responded in a gruff voice.

"Come on tubby, hit me! Not gonna let a punk like me bust your chops, are ya?" Seifer insulted, clearly doing his best at getting in Lynch's head, which was his forte. Many had fell victim to his cerebral games in the past, now the chubby SeeD guard would become the latest trophy in his collection.

Lynch's face was blood red as he replied. "Alright…" he spoke grimly, darting into the guard shack and grabbing the ring of keys off the top of the television set, and headed towards Seifer's cell, gritting his teeth, while swinging the keyring around his index finger. "Your ass is mine!" he shouted, voice pulsating through the hollow room.

The blonde cadet on watch ran out of the shack as he heard Lynch yell, "Wait a minute, what are you doing Sergeant!"

"Get back on post Sellers, and mind your damn business!" he ordered to the cadet rudely, who could do nothing but nod, and comply. Lynch strolled up to the cell with a malevolent smile on his face, and quickly opened it. "No bars between us anymore. Not so tough now, are ya cadet? I'm gonna show you the way we treated your kind back in my G-Army days." He said, slowly approaching Seifer as he rolled up his sleeves, which was his first, but not his only mistake. Around his wrist connected to a gold chain was a fuchsia-colored stone, gleaming with the power of an unknown Guardian Force. Seifer backed up, and pleaded to the SeeD.

"Okay wait, wait!" Seifer said as if he were having second thoughts.

"Hah…begging for mercy asswipe?" Lynch laughed, cracking his knuckles.

Seifer grinned, "Naw, I just wanted to know how a fat fuck like you ever became a SeeD?" he spat, staring dead on into Lynch's gray eyes. The SeeD clenched his fist tightly, and without cocking his fist, threw a half-assed straightforward jab that wouldn't have even done a bit of damage had it connected. Seifer swayed his head to his left, easily dodging the sorry attempt at a punch, and with his shackled hands wrapped the linked chains around Lynch's neck, pulling him in and delivering a nose shattering head-butt. He then spun around with the chains still securely around Lynch's neck, and with all his natural strength slammed him headfirst into the unforgiving black bars of the cell, incapacitating him.

Seifer spat on the stout SeeD, "Sleep on it, I'll see my own way out." He remarked to the limp husk of a man. Seifer grabbed the keyring and unhooked the chains, freeing his hands. He grabbed Lynch's wrist and tore off the GF stone, slipping off his black glove and holding it in his bare hand, letting the guardian enter his mind. He shook as the entity known as _Maduin_ empowered him, feeling as a surge of magical energy, as well as a generous enhancement of speed and strength charged his being. Seifer slipped his glove back on and exited the cell, slamming and locking the bars behind him.

As he made his way over toward the hallway that led to the elevator, the cadet on duty exited the guard shack, stunned to see Seifer walking towards him, and seeing Lynch's hobbled body lying inside the cell. The cadet reached for his dirk and slid it out, Seifer not even breaking stride as the cadet held out his weapon.

"Hold it!" the cadet demanded in a frightened tone. Seifer shook his head, and with a simple wave of his hand, a jetting stream of water struck the cadet, tossing him through the double-paned glass and into the guard shack.

"Sorry kid." Seifer apologized to the dazed cadet as he reached through the broken shards of glass, and grabbed Hyperion, which was lying across the desk. After retrieving his gunblade and making sure the magazine and all else was in working order, he headed towards the hallway, but was startled as he bumped into someone.

"What the…" the other figure began as Seifer looked up, only to see the person he bumped into was none other than Xu, with Quistis at her side. Both sets of eyes widened as they locked on to the tall blonde, who was supposed to be incarcerated, instead of wondering around freely.

Seifer smiled, "Well, if it isn't my dear instructor and the Headmaster's hand puppet. Come to check up on me?" he inquired sarcastically.

"We 'were' coming to let you out under the Headmaster's ruling! He didn't think it would do much good to keep you locked up down here..." Quistis began to explain.

"But after this little incident, you'll be down here for the rest of your natural life." Xu finished. "Guard!" she called out, not aware that Seifer had made easy work of both of them.

"Guard! Guard!" he mocked and laughed at Xu. "Oh, I'm afraid they've taken a break, but feel free to check up on them."

Quistis' expression turned sour thinking that Seifer may have gone off the deep end, and slain the two guards. "What have you done, Seifer?"

"Relax, they're just taking a power nap."

Xu stormed up to Seifer and got in his face, "You think you can just waltz out of here? There are SeeD's all over the place, and I myself can't allow…" she continued scolding him until he realized Xu wasn't junctioned with a GF either, and laid a hand on her shoulder, letting a current of tranquilizing magical energy flow into her, causing her to keel over.

Seifer caught Xu in her arms, "I think we've heard enough from you for one day." He said as he laid her gently on the cold basement floor, and turned his attention to Quistis. "As for you…instructor."

"What?" she asked and backed up, with him following.

"You will be escorting me to Timber." Seifer informed Quistis, who squinted at him with wondering eyes as her mind shuffled through the deck of his possible motives.

"Timber! Why Timber?" she asked.

"You think I'm gonna let chicken-shit and puberty boy have all the fun?" he answered her question with another. It was clear that Seifer was envious of Squall's role as a SeeD, but was the resentment so intense that it seized control of his very actions. It seemed that way.

"They can take care of themselves Seifer! They're trained, just like you!" she retorted, trying to get him to think straight. Quistis kept backing up until she finally reached the doors of the elevator. Seifer walked until he was within a few feet before her, and then slowed his pace.

"Cid sent three daisy-fresh rookies on a mission they know nothing about! Do you even realize how many Galbadian Army pricks are over there?" he scoffed as he strutted up, only inches away, leaning against the elevator behind her with his arm, and leaned his face in even closer. "I'm going to Timber Quistis, and you're coming with me." He revealed in a lowered, stern tone, eyes battling were hers.

"Why should I?" she asked.

Seifer snickered at her inquiry. "I got unfinished business. If you cooperate, maybe I'll come back to Garden after this is all over, and face the music." He said, with traces of sincerity in his voice. He seemed authentically concerned, but why? It couldn't have been Zell, Seifer's favorite object of oral abuse. He had just met Selphie, and knowing Seifer, he would probably feed the exuberant young lady to the wolves himself.

Then there was Squall. It had always been difficult to discern their relationship, even from her front-row seat. They neither hated nor liked each other; it was a neutral bond that wasn't even discernable to them. It was a result of two lives being cast from the same mold, but sprouted in different directions.

_If Seifer was yin, Squall was yang. Similar and different, all at once._

Quistis would never aide Seifer in an attempt to settle a score or accomplishing a narcissistic endeavor, but she too had her doubts. Many resistance factions in Timber often tried to chew more than they could swallow, and even though SeeD's were highly trained with Guardian Forces, they weren't invincible. She knew there were much more sensible ways of helping them, but she figured discreetly accompanying Seifer might help spare some unneeded casualties, including his.

Quistis took a deep breath, "I must be crazy." She muttered and shook her head.

"Welcome to my world." Seifer stated and inserted the key to bring the elevator down to the basement 2A level. Seifer was now a fugitive.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1257 hrs**

Inside the office, which was trendily decorated with paintings and murals, with dark walls and tinted windows, a single man stood. The blackish-blue carpet beneath him was adorned with the Galbadian Presidential crest, but the office itself was creepy with dim lighting and black curtains, which were shut securely, suppressing any signs of daylight. He was reviewing a file of the utmost of importance until one of the double doors opened, revealing a man in his early sixties, wearing a black trench coat over his dark suit. He had grey streaks in his slick black hair, with large eyebrows and a very sinister look upon his face.

"Ahh, Mr. President, good afternoon." Walter Dandridge, the president's top political advisor greeted the snake of snakes, Vinzer Deling as he entered.

Deling nodded, "I trust all is ready." He spoke with a strong foreign accent, handing his coat to Dandridge.

"Yes, your accommodations are all taken care of." He assured the president, who walked around and sat at his massive oak desk and turned on a small lamp, reaching into the top drawer on his desk and pulling out an expensive cigar. He used his cigar cutters to slice off the end, lit it with a match, and inhaled the sweet tobacco smoke then blew it into the air. After savoring the flavor, he leered back at Dandridge.

"If I even smell the foul stench of a resistance member, I'll personally kill you, and your entire family, Walter." He coldly informed his advisor, who knew damn well he meant every word.

"No, sir. The plan is full proof. No one will suspect anything. Jagger has been briefed, and is ready to execute. If anyone tries anything, they're finished." Dandridge explained, talking a bit fast, with fear hinting in his voice.

"Have you given him the serum Dr. Gerogero prepared." Deling asked.

"Yes, but he is not aware of its true effects."

The president grinned, "That's fine. After tomorrow I'll have no use for him anyway."

"What about the Kramer woman? Was the experiment a success?" the advisor asked.

"If it wasn't, I wouldn't have much to talk about on the air tomorrow." Deling answered.

"What about her husband? The Headmaster of Balamb Garden."

Deling laughed at the suggestion, "Cid Kramer is a smart man. He would not be foolish enough to meddle with me."

"It is his wife, sir." Dandridge pointed out. Deling gave him a disheartening stare, and he bowed his head, letting the president win.

Deling leaned back in his seat with the burning cigar in hand, and continued. "Even so, he knows Garden would be overrun with my men and Balamb would be under my control. Besides, he doesn't know what we've done with her. She is no longer his wife; she is merely a key that will open any door I wish to enter."

"And what of the girl?" Dandridge asked, speaking out yet another target that the president was tracking. "The Galbadian Department of Strategic Intelligence reports that she too is associated with Garden."

Deling nodded and laid the cigar on the golden ashtray on his desk. "Believe me, I have a constant eye on Balamb Garden, but the girl is not important right now. I have what I need…" he informed him as turned around, and spun the massive globe behind his desk. He watched as the model of the world spun on its axis, watching as every continent and country blurred past him. He tilted his head and looked back over at Dandridge with a smile that would make the prince of darkness bow at his feet.

"…For now." He finished, and focused back on the spiraling globe, dreaming of the dark future he intended to create.

* * *

Jimmy crack corn, and I don't care…one chapter closer, my friends.

**Inside Look**

I always thought SeeD storage units would be a cool idea, and a little more realistic than magic shops and stuff. Just my humble O :P

Yes, Quistis will be escorting Seifer to Timber. I always thought these two had a chemistry, and this way the will have there own little adventure along the way, and will show a deeper look into their relationship.

Maduin is the name of a GF in FF6, my second favorite fantasy. He isn't going to be the same, just borrowed the name.

If you didn't hate Deling in the game, you will in my story. I'm gonna show you what kind of rotten bastard this guy really is.

**Prodigy's Corner**

Noacat: Actually, I had those old movies in mind as I wrote that. Funny you mentioned it!

DBZ FF Queen: Yeah, I wanted to give him that drunk Homer Simpson kinda appeal, thought it'd be some welcomed comic relief.

Leonhart Zero: Squall smirking…maybe, but probably not. Thanks for reviewing!

Okay, next chappy, next Thursday or Friday, as usual. I will also be updating the previous chapters with edits and revisions next week. Nothing new will be added, just fixed a ton of small, and a few big errors. But please, if you read, PLEASE REVIEW! That is all I ask, and the story will thrive! Until next time…

**Prodigy**


	12. Chapter IX: TimberManiacs

**Chapter IX**

_TimberManiacs_

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1302 hrs**

He waited, knowing neither what the group before him was discussing, nor what SeeD's true role in that mission was going to be. Hell, he wasn't even clear as to what the nature of the mission really was. The 'strategy' room was musty and dark; the cheap overhead fixtures and bits of sunlight that crept through the cracks in the blinds provided the only light. The three Forest Owl members were huddled up on the floor on the side of the room, sorting through papers and diagrams as they playfully laughed and teased each other. The Owls obviously had not fully prepared for SeeD's arrival, and were not certain as to how they were going to utilize them.

Squall walked around the room, passing by the freestanding corkboard, looking at the many newspaper clippings held in place by colorful thumbtacks. The articles read of anything and everything that had to do with Deling, ranging from political decisions the tyrant made, to deaths of resistance members that had been killed under his rule. Outdated filing cabinets, along with a few dry-erase boards and chalkboards stood in the room, jumbled with various schemes, schedules and illustrations. In the center of the room was a tarp-covered table, the only thing visible were the eight steel legs supporting it. It was fairly obvious that whatever they had planned, it had something to do with what was shrouded in secrecy beneath the confines of the tarp, seeing as how they continually glanced over and pointed at it during their so-called 'strategy meeting'.

While he observed the covered table, Zell walked up beside him, "Wonder what da' heck this thing is?" Zell questioned, Squall too was interested as to what lied beneath. Selphie, who had just returned from a trip to the latrine, walked up to them.

"What kind of gang has their base on train, anyway?" she inquired, just as the three faction members finished doing whatever the hell it was they were doing.

"We're not a gang, we're a faction! There is a difference!" Rinoa stated as she walked up to Selphie, who shrugged.

"There is?" Zell asked, rubbing the back of his head.

Rinoa placed a hand over her eyes, "Forget it."

Zone, along with Watts and Rinoa, made their way to the front of the table, "Just stand anywhere you want," Zone informed the SeeD's who stood next to the table, and did not budge. "This is a full-scale operation!" He informed them, excitedly.

"Can everyone see?" Rinoa asked as she stepped to the side of the table, Squall giving a simple nod in reply. "Good. Our resistance, 'The Forest Owls', will forever be known in the pages of Timber's independence?"

Zone again stepped forth. "Our brethren, as well as countless other faction members have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the name of liberty and freedom. Today, we will avenge their deaths, and finish the job they started! We will…" he continued the declaration, until Squall held his hand up, stopping him mid-sentence.

"We don't need to hear this…do we?" Squall asked, as the other two SeeD's stood to either side of him, looking on intolerantly.

Zone nodded, "Sorry," he said, looking over at Rinoa who was upset with the SeeD's impatience. After a moment, Zone continued. "It all started when Watts, along with the help of our intelligence team, got a hold of top-secret information."

"I got the info, sir." Watts stated, raising his arm.

"There's a Galbadian VIP coming to Timber," Zone spoke.

"Not just any VIP…super V-I-P!" Watts added with enthusiasm, as Squall just leered at him, deflecting the hippy's gaze.

Selphie shrugged, "And who might that be?" she asked. Every member of the Forest Owls paused, and looked at one another before Zone answered the question.

"Vinzer Deling, President of Galbadia." He spoke slowly, with deep abhorrence sounding in his voice.

The SeeD's froze upon hearing the name, one that seemed to be a constant enemy of Garden's clients, and thus an enemy to them, but never had SeeD initiated a direct assault against the president. Just then, a few mission vagaries became a bit clearer to Squall. Cid had approved the mission, but Squall knew that he alone did not decide what missions were accepted and which were declined. He wasn't sure exactly who or what ultimately decided a mission's bottom-line approval, but figured it fell somewhere between Cid, the Garden faculty and some higher-ranking SeeD officers.

So, if Cid was in fact aware that the mission did include a confrontation with Deling, Squall knew it had probably been 'accidentally' left out of the mission request. The Garden faculty would never support a mission that included threatening the security of a public or political figure, and even if they did, Garden would not place three greenhorn SeeD's in a situation so fraught with potential disaster.

Or so he thought…

"What?" Zell boomed.

Selphie paced the length of the table, "I hope I'm wrong, but it sounds like you want us to assist in taking down one of the most powerful and ruthless men in the world?" she affirmed with widened eyes.

Rinoa nodded, with a stoic bitterness masking her face, "Vinzer Deling is a scoundrel! He's not a president…he's a dictator! He's ruined countless lives with his ridiculous tax hikes and strict rule!" she demanded passionately. However unprepared this faction may have been, they were adamant in their pursuit of liberating Timber, and in their hatred for Deling. Squall had found in her brown eyes a cold fury as she spoke of the Galbadian president, an anger that he would never believe could be present in such an innocent face. He knew that the man she spoke of was the devil incarnate, and most, if not all of Galbadia despised him, but there were pieces of the puzzle that just didn't fit.

Mainly Rinoa. She was nothing like Zone, Watts, or any other individual that hailed from Timber, which made Squall wonder even more what her deal was.

After a moment, she finished. "Anyway, he's taking a private train from the Galbadian capital."

Zone nodded, "Our plan is to…" he began, just before Selphie cut in.

"Blow it to smithereens with a rocket launcher!" she exclaimed in amusing gruff voice, getting a small laugh out of everyone, except Squall.

"Ahh, not quite." Zone chuckled and replied to the overaggressive suggestion.

"Just get to the point! Tell us what to do!" Zell demanded. It was apparent to the three SeeD's that the Forest Owls wanted something with Deling, but what, _exactly_, hadn't been revealed. Perhaps they wanted to kidnap and use him as a bargaining chip, or forcefully make him sign a legally binding contract that wouldn't mean jack-shit even if he did sign it. Whatever it was, it was by no means going to be a walk in the park.

Zone nodded, and grabbed the top of the tarp, "The plan is to switch our dummy presidential car with the real one, and get away with Deling in custody."

"Dummy presidential car?" Selphie asked.

"Yes, we will pick it up at the train station in Dastar," Zone stated, "It has been modeled to look just like the real one, inside and out. Let's go over the model," he stated and tugged, pulling the cover off the table, unveiling what looked much like a poorly customized train track with model train cars.

"On the top track is our train, which has departed from Timber, and will meet up with Deling's train on the bottom track, which will leave the capital at approximately 1600." Zone explained. "We will catch up with them around the Bluegrove Woodlands near Obel Lake. There will be a two-mile stretch of track in which both cars will be side by side. That's when we jump to the roof of the second escort," he explained and moved the model trains, up to the point where the trains were parallel to each other.

After a moment, Rinoa began where Zone left off, pointing to the bottom track, "Deling is represented by the red car, and the two other cabins are presidential escorts." she clarified, pointing out Deling's train, which included three cars, plus the locomotive. "Inside each escort are two, Galbadian SPECWAR soldiers, armed with HK's, not to mention very lethal with their hands. There is also a tech officer in each escort with sensory equipment, capable of picking up the slightest changes in temperature and sound." Rinoa explained.

"So how are we supposed to get past that?" Selphie questioned with a shrug.

Zone smiled, "Glad you asked!" he rejoined and walked over to one of the side cabinets, grabbing a circular device with a timing mechanism and handed it to Squall, who just stared at it with Selphie and Zell.

"What the heck is that?" Zell asked.

"They're called Rockers, sir." Zone explained. "They create an electro-magnetic surge that disrupts any computing devices in a thirty-foot radius. Lasts about ten minutes, which should be plenty of time to finish everything."

Rinoa nodded in agreement, "Yeah, and there are no guards or sensors inside the presidential cabin, so we won't have any problem moving across. He hates being bothered by his security, so he doesn't normally allow them in his private car." She finished, and turned her focus back to the track.

"We will use two switch points along the away to carry out this operation," she continued. "We need to uncouple the first escort before switch point A. We'll have about three minutes from the time we get onto the second escort, if we don't…"

"Game over, right?" Selphie questioned, getting a single confirming nod from Rinoa.

"Yes, so we'll have to move fast," Rinoa continued. "After we've uncoupled the first escort, our base and dummy car will link up with their train, and we will be moving together." She stated as she moved the train in direct conjunction with what she was saying, "Then, we'll move onto uncoupling the second escort. Barring any unforeseen troubles, we should get away smoothly with the presidential cabin in our possession at switch point B." she stated and took a heavy breath as she finished. Squall watched as she moved the model Forest Owl's base and the presidential cabin in a northeast direction to one of the smaller stations on the other side of Timber, and the two escorts and dummy car continued en route to the main station.

"But how can we uncouple the cars from a moving train?" Selphie asked.

"Well, we can't uncouple the cars directly," Zone reported, "Instead, we'll have to tamper with the control system. If we can disable the connection circuit temporarily, the cars will uncouple automatically. But it will take several codes." He finished, taking a swig of his grape soda.

Rinoa walked around the table and stood before the three mercenaries, "One of you will relay the codes to whoever inputs them. That person will slide down the side of the train using a steel-line cord, and input the codes into the security panel underneath the door of the train. The codes are each six digits, and must be entered correctly on the first attempt, or an alarm will be set off, and we'll be finished. Each code must be entered in at least five seconds, or the codes will change and past entries will become invalid."

Selphie blinked, "Boy, that's a mouthful. So, who's gonna enter the codes?" she asked, in turn causing everyone in the room to look at one another. Squall knew that the Forest Owls would remain safely on the train, which was for the best, seeing as none of them had any type of training even resembling what they were about to attempt. Zell was loud, so he'd work out well in relaying the codes to him, and Selphie would need to stay behind as a reserve, because by minimizing the number of people that boarded Deling's train, it decreased their chances of being detected.

"I'll do it." Squall volunteered, being that he wanted to ensure everything was done correctly. Zone, Watts and especially Rinoa smiled at Squall's bravery in the face of the risky undertaking, and Zell shrugged.

"Well, I was gonna volunteer, but I'm not gonna argue with the leader." He followed up, and soon after was nudged by a giggling Selphie.

Squall nodded, "Zell will give me the codes, and Selphie will remain onboard in case anything happens to us." he strategically explained.

Zell raised his arms, "Let me guess, no earpieces or other nifty surveillance gadgets, huh?" he inquired. Usually, Garden distributed SeeD's with whatever extra equipment they would need on missions, but once again the shortcoming of funds played a key factor, which meant they were going to have to make due with what little they had.

"Not very crafty." Selphie added.

Rinoa shrugged discouragingly, "I know, but we don't have the money for that kind of equipment."

Selphie took a deep breath and stretched, "Okay, so I guess that's it?"

"No," Rinoa expunged her wishful thinking quickly, much to the surprise of the SeeD's, "After all that will be the biggest challenge."

Zell forced a grin onto his tattooed face, and nodded, "I thought it sounded a bit too easy." He replied sarcastically.

"Deling's personal bodyguard, Jagger." Rinoa informed them, and was the first instance during the brief in which she sounded scared. None of the SeeD's knew of Jagger, but Zone, Watts and Rinoa seemed to be quite aware of who he was, and what he was capable of. Squall knew that any bodyguard of the Galbadian president had to be exceptionally well trained and willing to give his life in the line of duty, so it was no real surprise.

Still, Zell seemed to be confident, "Believe me, if we can get past everything else, his little ole' bodyguard isn't gonna be a problem."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Rinoa spoke, and walked around the SeeD's, up to the corkboard. "A few years back, an aggressive faction known as the _'Boondock Saints' _tried something similar to what we're doing. They had a lot more income than factions normally have, but decided to spend most on weapons and equipment. Other faction leaders tried to talk some sense into the Saint's leader, telling him their funds could be put to better use…but he was stubborn. They were just in it for the reputation; Timber's independence just happened to come with it…" she spoke and turned around, with a disturbed look on her face, "…but it never got that far."

"What happened?" Zell questioned with a shrug as he, Selphie and even Squall, listened intently.

"They traveled to Deling City, launching a sneak attack on the presidential palace…" Rinoa began.

Zell shook his head, "I can see where this is goin',"

"Yes, well, rumor has it they did make it further into the palace than anyone ever has. Authorities found dead guards everywhere, all the way up to the living room, where Jagger supposedly confronted them." Rinoa stated bleakly, "No one knows what happened at the palace, but two weeks later, they found thirteen of the fourteen members in the hull of a Dollet supply ship." She said, unpinning one of the news articles from the corkboard, and handing it to over to Zell.

"Dead as dead can be, huh?" Zell asked and glanced at the article, as Squall and Selphie looked over his shoulder. The newspaper clipping read '**_Thirteen unidentified bodies found on supply ship_**_'_ and was labeled **_'_The_ Palpatine _Massacre_'_**, after the name of the ship. Squall had heard of it, but was not aware that it had any connection with Deling.

"Not just dead, but tortured for days on end." Rinoa started to explain, looking disgusted as morbid thoughts came to mind. "Autopsies had shown the men had been beaten on the soles of their feet and on their shinbones, placed in front of high-powered electric fans until their bodies turned purple with nerve damage, eyes burned out with blow torches and then beaten savagely. The women were gang raped and then drowned, slowly."

Zell grimaced and fake gagged, "…Sick fuck!" It was clear that this Jagger had a fascination for violence and suffering, and the just thought of being caught made them all rethink whether or not the juice was worth the squeeze.

"You said there were fourteen members…what happened to the last one?" Squall questioned as Rinoa pinned the paper back onto the board.

"Oh, he is in the Wardwick Asylum up in Trabia," Rinoa answered, "He was left alive to deliver the message."

"What message?" Selphie questioned with wide eyes.

"They didn't torture him at all, at least not physically." Zone jumped in, seeing in Rinoa's eyes that she did not enjoy recounting the incident. "They dropped him off at one of the train stations in Timber, and he was later found by local faction members. They couldn't get him to speak, being that he was so psychologically distraught, but there was a letter."

"What did it say?" Zell asked, hanging on her every word.

"It was a message from Jagger, stating that if any factions tried to harm the president again, the consequences would be much worse. After that, many factions disbanded, and there hasn't been a single threat against the president's security since." Zone finished.

"That is why we must carry this plan out to perfection," Rinoa told them, emphasizing the importance of discretion. "We'll be arriving at Dastar in a half an hour. If you have any questions for me, I'll be in my room until then." She finished, giving Squall a final glance as she did. Her eyes held questions for him, as his did for her, but neither would ask, at least not yet. She eventually tore her eyes from him, and left the room.

Watts watched as Rinoa exited, and looked over to Zone, "What's wrong with the princess, sir?"

"I think she's just nervous. She…" Zone began to speak, before his face cringed and he doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach, "Ahh, man!" he yelled.

Selphie knelt down next to him, "What's wrong?"

"Zone gets ulcers all the time. You know, from all the stress." Watts informed them.

"Maybe you should take a break from all this if it's that bad." Zell suggested, watching as Zone reached inside his coat, pulling out a green bottle of antacid, and downed a gulp.

"Don't worry about it," he burped out and patted his stomach. "I'll be fine."

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1326 hrs**

"Keep walking Instructor! No tricks, or else." Seifer quietly demanded, keeping a firm grip around Quistis forearm as they walked through the front courtyards. Luckily for Seifer, due to the weeklong spring break the Headmaster had granted to cadets, most SeeD's that weren't deployed were off duty, and didn't spend their vacation on Garden grounds. He passed a few SeeD's in the hall that nodded, or at most gave him a troubled look. For the most part though, it had been an effortless trek.

"Or else what?" Quistis questioned challengingly.

Seifer looked over at her with an arced eyebrow, "Do you really want to find out?" he asked, pulling her closer.

"Do you really think I am concerned with your threats? You may be a lot of things Seifer, but you're not going to hurt an innocent person. I know that much." Quistis sternly remarked.

He smiled at her presumption, seeing as he had no intention to hurt her, but knew she wouldn't try anything foolish to push him further off the cliff of sanity he had an ever-so weak grip on. "Such an aficionado of human behavior, I am impressed. If you aren't scared, why do you comply?"

"I have my reasons, similar to yours," she answered, also worried about the welfare of Squall and his group. She wasn't completely aware of what the mission entailed, but it was in her nature to worry, especially the way Seifer had described it.

"Does that mean you agree with me?" Seifer questioned as they approached the front gate.

Quistis shook her head; "I agree it was a poor decision to send them on such a mission. I in no way condone your actions though!"

"Have you ever?" he asked, making a valid point. Just as they prepared to step outside of Garden's gates, the SeeD guard on duty stepped forth, and was armed with a shotgun and a low-level GF.

"Sergeant Trepe? Where are you going with the prisoner?" the young SeeD Corporal named Spade, asked. Quistis didn't like how the young man referred to the blonde fugitive. He was indeed, a prisoner, but he wasn't a felon. Seifer had made mistakes, countless and without regret, but she wanted to bring it to a peaceful resolve, and she couldn't assure that if she wasn't with him.

"For Hyne's sake, he's not a prisoner. I am to escort him to Balamb." She explained, hoping the SeeD would have enough faith in her to believe what she was saying.

"For what purpose?" Spade usually wouldn't have been so inclined to question a senior SeeD's statement, but when he noticed Seifer was yielding his gunblade, he felt as if something may be wrong.

"Mind your business!" Seifer demanded, causing Spade to step forth.

"Hey, that's enough!" Quistis scolded to Seifer as he glared at the buff SeeD guard. "He will be helping to clear the beach of any fiends, so that they may open up the Balamb resort for the season." She answered the inquiry, but Spade remained suspicious, and backed up into the guard shack..

"I'm going to have to get the Headmaster's approval. Stand by." He stated, and proceeded to pick up the phone. Quistis and Seifer look at one another and she shrugged, not knowing what to do next, but Seifer knew how to remedy the situation. It didn't involve any sweet-talking, though.

Before Spade could even patch through, Seifer stepped forth and flung his arm forth, as waves of red and white energy flowed from him and onto the guard. Spade felt as the paralyzing energy caused his every muscle fiber to stiffen and tense to the point where he couldn't even blink. His Guardian Force was defenseless against the magical power of Maduin, which made him vulnerable, thus causing him to freeze like a statue. The spell would only last a few minutes, but Seifer needed more time to get to Balamb City before Garden security figured out what happened. He swiftly pulled out Hyperion and slammed the butt of the weapon against the side of Spade's head, knocking him out.

"That wasn't necessary Seifer!" Quistis demanded as she ran over, checking on the junior SeeD.

"Cid wouldn't have authorized it, the jig would be up, and you would've gotten in trouble." Seifer told her and she looked up at him. "Aiding an embedding a fugitive cadet wouldn't look good on your resume." He remarked smugly with a grin.

Quistis shot up, still staring into Seifer's eyes, "Violence doesn't solve anything," she spoke the classic cliché that meant absolutely nothing to him.

"Neither does talking." He retorted, grabbing her arm again and leading her out the front gate and down by the road.

"So just exactly how do you plan to get us to Timber? With no money or resources, that will be a difficult task." Quistis wondered.

Seifer chuckled, "I'm disappointed Instructor, your faith in me is lacking. Do you think I wouldn't be prepared?" he asked, glancing up and down the road as if looking for something. "I may not be a SeeD, but I am trained as one. I'm smarter than half of these lackeys that wear the uniform."

"Not smart enough, apparently."

"You contradict yourself. Earlier you told me I was overqualified."

"Intelligent, yes. Common sense is what you're running short of."

"This coming from you, Instructor?" Seifer replied, mocking her with her former title.

"Damn it Seifer, don't call me that! I am well aware I failed as an Instructor, but you don't have to throw it my face." Quistis demanded, with traces of disappointment in her voice. "I suppose it _was_ partly my fault, you being my student and all."

Seifer eyes burnt red after hearing the statement, "What, they fired you because of me?" he boomed.

Quistis nodded, "Instructors are responsible for the actions of their cadets. It reflected badly upon me and my credentials."

"That's bullshit!" he screamed, drowning Quistis in a sea of confusion.

"Are you actually…concerned?" she asked. Not bloody likely, but what was it then?

"No, but I am fully aware of what I'm doing! No one controls my actions, you shouldn't be held accountable." He demanded, with Quistis still swamped in astonishment. Never had he shown her concern for anyone but himself. Never.

"I don't know how to take that Seifer." Quistis spoke in meek voice. Seifer was a puzzle, one she couldn't even begin to put together.

"Take it however you want," Seifer responded, as he again scanned the road, and looked down at his watch. "Damn it, where is that dolt?" he shouted impatiently.

"Who?" Quistis asked.

"Don't worry about it." Seifer rejected her question. Moments later, the roar of a car engine and squealing tires from the garage area grabbed Seifer's attention. Looking back, he watched as a Raijin's red convertible sped down the road toward them, finally slamming the breaks and leaving tire tracks as he stopped next to them. Raijin kept the keys in the ignition and the engine running as he hopped from the car, Seifer's expression telling Raijin he wasn't a happy man.

"Sorry Seif, couldn't find da keys, ya know." Raijing explained, as Seifer held up a hand.

"Save it. I knew I should've asked Fujin to take care of everything!" Seifer demanded.

"Fujin is taking care of the other stuff, ya know."

Seifer nodded, "Get Fujin and meet me in Timber in two days," he explained and began to walk towards the car.

Raijin shrugged with doubt, "What if something happens, ya know? Something we didn't expect?" he asked. Seifer didn't enjoy being second-guessed, so he grabbed the beads around Raijin's neck and pulled forward.

"Just do it!" Seifer seethed, and pushed him away.

"Alright Seifer. You're in charge, ya know!" Raijin replied with an apologetic tone, and headed back through the front gates of Garden. Seifer pulled Quistis to the passenger side door and opened it.

"Alright, get in." he calmly insisted, and Quistis pulled her arm away.

"I'd rather not," she replied. Seifer smiled, and then shoved her in the vehicle, slamming the door.

"It wasn't a request!" he told her and quickly got in the driver's seat, and floored the gas. Even with the guard out of commission, he knew it was only a matter of time before Garden sent a search party after him. He had already assaulted three SeeD's, put Xu to sleep, and shown blatant disregard for any and every rule of conduct set forth by Garden.

And yet, he still didn't care.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1401 hrs**

The SeeD sat in the security office located on the second deck of Garden, in a circular room encompassed with flat-screen monitors that displayed almost every square inch within Garden's gates, and even some areas outside. Like always, all conditions were normal, which meant all was as it should be. For the most part, that was a good thing, but it got old since cadet quarrels were the most commotion the inside of Garden ever saw. Once in grey while, a fiend would escape the training center or breach the front gates, but SeeD's wondering the halls usually were able to contain the situation without security's assistance.

He leaned back; eating a slice of pepperoni pizza that one of his fellow SeeD's picked up on the lunch run. He had switched one of the monitors over to the cable line, watching a baseball game between rival Galabadian teams, the Monarchs and the Scorpions. He knew it was risky, but he had placed a wager on the Monarchs, and was also bored out of his mind, so he took his chances. As he chomped off a large bite of the pizza, he fanned his mouth as the melted mozzarella burnt his tongue and the roof his mouth. Just then, the phone began to ring, a call coming from basement level 2A. He continued blowing the heat out and eventually swallowed the food, and answered the call.

"Garden security, Master Chief Richter speaking, this is a non-secure line. How can I help you?"

"Richter, this is Xu…" she replied, sounding drowsy. "Code green, a prisoner has escaped from our custody!"

"Who?" Richter asked as he frantically looked around the monitors, noticing the screen the game was on just happened to be the one that was connected to the cameras in the disciplinary area. He cursed quietly and switched back to the camera view, noticing the broken guard shack window, and the incapacitated SeeD guard in the cell in the background.

"Cadet Seifer Almasy. He injured the two guards on duty, and I believe he may have kidnapped Sergeant Quistis Trepe." Xu spoke as Richter scanned all of the monitors, not seeing any sign of Seifer.

"I'm not picking him up on any of the cameras," Richter stated, and began typing on the keyboard next to him "I'll have the Tango unit sweep the premises." He told her, typing the command for a SeeD guards on duty to rove the area, and all gates to be locked down.

"Fine. I'll be up there momentarily." Xu said.

"Yes, ma'am." Richter replied just as the transmission cut off. Within ten minutes, she arrived on in the security room, noticing the SeeD Master Chief looking through deck logs and talking on the phone.

"Any luck?" she asked as he hung up the phone, and continued to flip through the pages of the log.

"He is no longer on Garden grounds," Richter stated, as Xu shrugged in confusion.

"Then where the hell is he?" she shouted, more worried about Quistis welfare than anything at the moment.

"He escaped through the front entrance," Richter informed her and typed a command. "Look…" he pointed to one of the screens, which showed Seifer dragging Quistis along, then attacking the gatekeeper.

"Damn it! He has Sergeant Trepe!" she exclaimed, putting a worried hand over her mouth.

"She doesn't seem to be showing much resistance," Richter observed, but Xu knew what Quistis agenda most likely was.

"You don't understand, Seifer is very erratic right now. My guess is she's trying to talk him out of whatever he's planning," Xu stated, and walked back towards the door, and turned back. "Alright, call the Lexington Line and the Balamb City airport and inform them of the situation. Do we have any on-duty SeeD's in the city at this time?"

Richter shook his head as he reached the end of the deck log, "Negative, but we do have a Creeper vessel within the area," he stated, and prepared to notify them before she even gave the order.

"Put the vessel on alert, send a SeeD unit down to arrest him, and inform Balamb City police to apprehend him with extreme caution." Xu ordered and opened the door, "I'm going down there myself," she stated and exited the room. Seifer had finally gone off the deep end, and it was no surprise to Xu, but she'd be damned if Seifer was going to take Quistis down with her. She could care less if he had left on his own; since all they would have to do is lock the door and never let him back in. But that wasn't the case, he had Quistis, her friend, and a person she knew would go through hell and high water to keep Seifer out of harms way. Even after all the misery he had caused her, Quistis still seemed protective of the rebel. Xu had no idea why, and at that moment, it didn't matter. She only knew that if he hurt her in anyway, she'd personally put a bullet between his eyes.

"Don't do anything stupid Seifer," she demanded quietly, hoping that somewhere, someway, he heard those words.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1556 hrs**

Armed soldiers, local police and a large crowd had gathered at the train station in Deling City. The limo had arrived just as scheduled, and out of the car stepped three individuals, Walter Dandridge, the president's advisor. Mearle Chambers, the president's spokeswoman, and finally the president himself. The crowd cheered as Deling walked by, not waving, smiling, or paying any extra attention to the chanting flock of men and women. The group was comprised of three types of people; those few who actually considered Deling to be a fair president, those who just wanted to catch a glimpse of the man in charge, and those who wanted to seem like they were loyal, but in reality, hated him like the poison that he was.

Deling and Dandridge boarded the presidential train, which was surrounded by militiamen and secret service that ensured no one unauthorized made it close to the president. One pedestrian reached his arm out and grazed Deling's coat, and with a simple nod, he had the man clubbed by ten local officers until he couldn't move. Walking aboard, all the soldiers saluted his presence, but he paid no attention any of them. He walked through the first escort, which was loaded with small-arm weapons and surveillance equipment, and made his way into the private cabin. The inside of the presidential cabin was elegantly appointed, with gold statues, paintings, fine wines and fruits, with a small booth and table, designed for meetings aboard his train. Today, though, he would be traveling alone.

While Spokeswoman Chambers kept the reporters at bay, Dandridge and the president entered his cabin. Immediately upon entering, Dandridge closed and locked the door. "You understand what your mission is?" he asked the man across from him.

"I know what to do," Deling replied, giving Dandridge a bitter look.

Dandridge nodded, "And don't do anything stupid looking how you do. Not even the guards aboard this train know our plan, so you'll only be making _him _look bad."

"Shut up, I know what I'm doing."

"And don't forget Dr. Gerogero's serum if things get out of hand." Dandridge reminded him.

"Don't worry, they won't!" Deling answered with finality in his voice as he slipped off his coat. Dandridge shook his head as he noticed the poorly done tie around his boss's neck, and walked over to fix it.

"When you arrive in Timber, meet up with…" he began explain as he reached for Deling's collar, but was surprised when he grabbed his wrist and bent it back, causing Dandridge to cry out in pain and fall to his knees. Normally, the guards would've heard, but fortunately the walls in his cabin were soundproof.

Deling leaned over and made Dandridge look into his chilling eyes, "I've been doing this for thirteen years, don't talk to me like I'm a fuckin' imbecile," he replied, and slipped out hidden blade from his wrist, tracing it around his advisors neck, "Cause I won't think twice about slicing your neck from ear to ear…Mr. Dandridge." He replied, and released his hand. Dandridge stood up and glared over at Deling, who smiled at him evilly, and gestured for him to leave.

"Have it your way," Dandridge said and walked to the door, resting his hand on the knob. "_'Mr. President…'_" he finished, closing the door as he left. He walked over and poured himself a full glass of wine before sitting down to read the newspaper. As he glanced over the front page of the _Galbadian__ Gazette, _he noticed his face on the front page. He smiled at the sight of it, and proceeded to lie it down on the table, then quickly pull out a blade and stab it into the eye of his picture. As if on cue, he heard his door open, and stood up, only to see a Galbadian Viper name Kojax, standing at the door saluting.

"Mr. President, we will be departing shortly. I just wanted…" Sergeant First Class Kojax began, before being quieted by the president.

"Shut up! If I want a report, I'll ask for it."

Kojax nodded, "Yes sir, Mr. President," he replied, and quickly summoned his subordinate Corporal Telek, to assist him inside the cabin.

"What are you doing?" Deling questioned as he watched the two soldiers look through the car.

"We need to inspect the cabin one last time before you depart, Mr. President." Kojax began, as Telek froze in fear.

"The cabin is fine, leave." Deling told them, as both exchanged glances, and Kojax spoke again.

"But, Mr. President…"

Deling stepped towards them, appearing extremely agitated, "I don't think you want me to tell you again!" he stated with a fierce scowl that scared the two soldiers straight.

"Yes, Mr. President." Kojax said as both saluted, hastily exited the room, and closed the door. "What a dickhead!" Kojax stated to the other soldiers onboard, who were preparing the sensory equipment for departure. He may have hated the man in the next room, but he sure as hell didn't suspect anything. He looked like Deling, talked like Deling, and walked like Deling.

But as the saying goes…_looks can be deceiving_.

* * *

I know I'm late, but I was sick for eight days, and could barely read what was on the screen. I cut the chapter short. Originally, I had the train uncoupling segment included, but I just started feeling better and wanted to get this out. So, it will just have to wait for next chapter. On with the show…. 

**Inside Look**

Like Greg (Peptuck) I have a fascination with guns, weapons and combat. So I am really getting antsy to write some more action, since there hasn't been all that much since the Field Exam chapters. I figured that instead of using real gun names, I would alter the names and such to be unique, but most are still based off of real world weapons. Like the Galbadian issued HK's, are essentially AK's with more power.

Boondock Saints is the name of my favorite movie! I wanted to use them as a cooler group in another story, but I said the heck with it.

I'm gonna make you all hate Deling so much, mwhahahaha…it's going to be glorious!

Seifer and Quistis have a lot more ahead of them before they get to Timber. I have some great stuff planned for them!

Xu will also have a much larger role in my story. Maybe not right away, but later on you will see a lot of her.

**Prodigy's Corner**

**DBZ FF Queen**: For as many things as I've changed in this story, you tell me I messed up her Instructor number? No, I did change it though.

**Kaiser**: Yes, it's coming. Would've been this chapter if it weren't for my 102-degree fever.

**Explicitly Yours:** Thanks for the input. I know a lot of grammar is wrong, and I hate that, but I don't have an editor, and also, not nearly enough time to go through it over and over again to do it myself. Wish I did though! Glad you liked the rest, I'll keep an eye on the mistakes, and try to fix them when I go back through the previous chapters.

**Noacat**: Yes, Seifer…he's gonna be da cat's meow! And Deling, yes, an evil bastard! You like the name of the massacre?

Okay, here's the deal. I am getting out of the military soon, and will be busy with appointments over the next month or two. There will still be updates planned for every week, but if I am a few days or even a week late again, don't think it's over, just _might_ be a little slower until mid-August or September. As usual, please review!

**Prodigy**


	13. Chapter X: The Chase

**Chapter X**

**_The Chase_**

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268/**

**1407 hrs _Rewind_**

"Balamb City Police department, this is Captain Murphy," the man replied within the 7th local precinct of the Balamb police department. The local force was small, but efficient for handling the petty crimes and misdemeanors that occurred in the small coastal city. There were few instances in which major crimes took place, and when that did occur, the Balamb PD would either enroll the help of the Galbadian Investigations Unit, or hire a few SeeD investigation specialists to resolve such matters. This time though, Garden needed Balamb PD's assistance.

"Captain, this is Master Chief Liam Richter, Balamb Garden security. We have a situation and we need your cooperation in detaining a resident of Garden," Richter explained, calmly and quickly.

Murphy, who was a balding man in his early forties, sounded less than eager to help, "That's your problem, we only handle civilian affairs," he responded, before his voice became more sympathetic, "I'd like to help you, but we're not trained at dealing with SeeD's."

"He's not a SeeD, he's a cadet. Still, he is dangerous and needs to be apprehended before he causes any more trouble," Richter informed them, stating the true urgency of the situation.

"So, what exactly would you like us to do, Master Chief?" Murphy asked, propping his feet on his desk.

"We already informed the airport and train stations not to board him, so if you or your men find him, just stall him. We have a T-710 Creeper vessel in the area, and a SeeD unit en route to apprehend him," Richter stated, "I just faxed his picture and information." he told Murphy, who snapped his fingers to get his secretary's attention, and pointed to the fax machine. She immediately retrieved the fax, and handed it to Murphy, who perused the file. On the front page was a picture of the blonde fugitive, along with his updated Garden profile.

* * *

**Full Name**: Almasy, Seifer Eugene 

**Garden ID**: 96706

**Garden Status**: Cadet (Upper Classman)

**Enrollment Date**: 14 July, 4256 H.R.

**Known Relatives: **_Birthparents_ and _Siblings_, Unknown. Grandparents _Eugene_ and _Aurora_; deceased

**DOB**: 22 December, 4249 H.R.

**Blood Type**: O

**Height**: 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)

**Weight**: 201 lbs

**Natural Hair Color**: Blonde

**Eye Color**: Green

**Pertinent Information**: Cadet Almasy is an exceptional combatant and excels at all academic and SeeD training courses. Has severe problems with authority and following tasks and orders appointed to him by superiors. Social with some, and very anti-social with others. Exceptionally well trained, and a very dangerous adversary. Gunblade specialist, has mastered weapon skills and is deadly when using it. Mastered all basic para-magic skills and some secondary skills. Expert in three forms of self-defense, as well as navigation, deception and psychological tactics.

**May 2nd, 4268**: _Wanted by Garden for assaulting three SeeD's and two cadets, and has kidnapped SeeD Sergeant Quistis Trepe, and escaped from Garden's correctional facilities. Believed to be making his way into Balamb City, seeking refuge or transit from island. Please exercise extreme caution when dealing with Cadet Almasy. Believed to be armed, and is extremely dangerous.

* * *

_

_Quite impressive_, Murphy thought, but thought of Seifer only as a troubled youth, rather than a trained mercenary, "Alright, I'll send some of my men out right away," he replied to Richter.

"Thank you for your cooperation, good day!" Richter replied, and hung up the phone. After glancing at the profile for a few more moments, Murphy spun in his chair.

"Rourke!" he called across the office, watching as a young man in his early twenties stood up, and made his way over.

"Yeah Cap?" Rourke asked as he walked up to his boss's desk, and was handed Seifer's profile.

"We got some punk cadet from Garden causing trouble, and they think he's headed our way. Dispatch some men too look for him, and fax this to all the neighborhood watches, and have them inform us if he comes through," the Captain ordered, as he took a sip of coffee from his small cup.

"I'm on it," Rourke nodded and began to walk away, but was called back.

"And Rourke…" Murphy called, and the young man walked back to him. The Captain looked up to him, and smirked, "If you find him, use any means necessary."

The blonde man nodded, "Got it," Rourke answered, and headed down the hallway. He was going to show this runaway cadet, as well as Balamb Garden that Balamb PD was more than capable of handling their own.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268/**

**1415 hrs _Rewind_**

It was a quick seven-minute venture from the gates of Garden to the city of Balamb, all along the way being scolded by Quistis. They passed through the town entrance without a problem, and continued down the western side of the city, parking the vehicle by '_Felisha's Fish Market'_ down by the South Bay docks. The men and women of the town were all busy at work, while the children were at school, finishing up their school year before summer vacation, so there were not many civilians wondering the streets of the city at the time. He quickly exited the vehicle, walked around, and _helped_ Quistis out of the car, reapplying the mistrustful hold he had around her wrist, and began to drag her away.

Walking off, a man that worked at the market stepped out of the fridge storage area, and yelled out.

"Hey, you can't park here! This lot is for delivery trucks only!" the plump marketer yelled.

Seifer looked back, "Then move it," he said gruffly, tossing the man the keys to the red convertible. The man caught the keys in flight, immediately recognizing Seifer's face from a flyer that had just been hung in the store five minutes earlier. He ran back inside and headed for the phone.

Seifer and his captive continued past numerous markets and street vendors, and not once did he loosen his grip. Quistis jerked her arm trying to shake loose, her arm reddening and losing circulation within his clutch.

"You can let go of my arm, Seifer. If I was going to resist, I would've already done so," she told him, which only made him tighten his grasp.

"Forgive me, but it's more of a safety precaution. I can't have you sneaking off to contact Garden until this is all over," he responded, making it clear he didn't trust her. She chose not to push that topic, knowing it was pointless to dispute Seifer's issues with trust, but she couldn't fault him. What confused her was that Seifer seemed more detached from his own interests, and concerned for someone else's for a change. Drawing from experience though, she knew with Seifer, _what you see isn't what you get_.

"What's the real reason, Seifer?" she asked, as Seifer's eyes scanned the street ahead for any sign of SeeD or local police, "I seriously doubt you're doing this because you're worried about them. You're only ever interested in benefiting yourself." Quistis commented, the barefaced remarked obviously not sitting well with him.

"Shows how little you know about me," he countered, "I'm starting to see why you failed as an instructor."

Quistis shook her head, all too familiar with his perpetual shield of mockery, "You always hide behind your insults, Seifer. So much promise, but no set direction. I can assure you though, this isn't it." Seifer glared at her as if she touched on a sore nerve, but before he could contest her statement, a voice called out.

"SEIFER!" the voice shouted, Seifer immediately identifying as Fujin's. She was standing about twenty feet ahead, just before the docks near the Seabreeze Hotel.

"Fujin, is everything ready?" he asked as they walked up, Quistis unaware of what he was referring to. Fujin looked over to her, casting her a spiteful gaze.

"YES. DOCK SEVEN." She answered.

Seifer smiled, "Excellent. Make sure you and Raijin meet me in Timber in two days," he told her, and she nodded in understanding.

"AFFIRMATIVE," she said as her and Seifer exchanged brief glances, almost like a mental handshake. She walked past them, grunting as she passed Quistis. The former instructor always thought her to be odd, even before the accident that cost her her right eye. Still, she knew whatever bitterness Fujin had for her developed from Seifer's toiled past with her.

"I thought you were gonna go back after this was all over?" Quistis argued after hearing the trade between him and Fujin.

"Well," he stated, as a grin slowly eased its way onto his face, "…nothing is a hundred percent." He finished, the tone of his voice hinting that he never intended to return.

"Damn you, Seifer!" she retorted, more upset with herself for believing, than at Seifer for lying.

"Save the sweet talk for later," he told her sarcastically and pulled her along, "We gotta go."

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268/**

**1417 hrs _Rewind_**

Xu waited patiently as the elevator slowly rose to the uppermost floor of Garden. Cid needed to know what had taken place, but she really didn't want to be the one to tell him. Not that he'd lash out or take his mounted aggressions out against her, but mainly because she didn't want to see the disappointment it caused him. Cid never gave up hope on Seifer, always optimistic that he'd eventually conform, and join SeeD. He was hanging onto that dream with all he had, but he needed to realize, it was time to let go.

Finally she reached the top deck, walked up to his double doors, and inched one open slowly. She knew he was in meeting with the faculty concerning Garden's financial status, but she knew this couldn't wait, and the Headmaster needed to know at once.

"Headmaster," she interrupted quietly, seeing him and two faculty members sitting around his desk. "May I speak with you in a matter concerning Seifer Almasy?"

Cid nodded and waved her in, "What is it, Xu?" he spoke, but thought it best to tell him without NORG's messengers present.

"I think it would be better if we talked privately," she stated.

One of the robed faculty members stood, "Anything you have to say about Almasy, you can say to us."

Xu looked over to Cid, who seemed eager to hear what she had to say, "Headmaster?" she asked, looking for approval.

"Xu, please. It's alright," Cid nodded with permission to speak freely.

Xu nodded, took a deep breath, and spoke, "Seifer has escaped our custody. He accosted three people, and has fled Garden grounds."

After hearing the situation, Cid knew why Xu wish to speak to him alone. This was all the collateral that the Garden faculty needed to expel Seifer. Both faculty members stood, Cid knowing exactly why. Seifer had been a target of

"Master NORG will be very interested to hear this," one faculty spoke with repressed jubilation in his voice.

"Your fight is over Headmaster," the second stated, "Almasy is history!" he demanded, both faculty members turning to leave and inform NORG with news he'd be most pleased with. Cid watched as they past Xu and closed the door, and slowly looked back to his secretary, who shrugged.

"Told ya," she said. Cid sat back down in his chair, and leaned against it as Xu walked front and center.

"Where is he?" Cid asked, seeming unusually calm for such a taxing situation.

"Master Chief Richter believes he is headed towards the city," Xu informed him, "He has Quistis, and he may be trying to leave the island."

"Have any forces been deployed?" Cid questioned, expecting that all the standard procedures had already been set into motion.

Xu nodded, "Garden security is taking all the necessary steps to find him, and I'm heading down there as well," she stated, and Cid nodded.

In most cases, he wouldn't expect Xu to accompany security in detaining a runaway cadet, but Seifer's case was different. He needed someone he could trust to be his eyes. It wasn't that he didn't trust the men and women who served as SeeD's under him, but he knew SeeD's were soldiers, not saints, and Cid wanted to be sure that whatever happened, the truth wouldn't be swayed one way or another.

"Alright, we will convene after this situation is resolved," Cid answered, "I want to know exactly how this happened!" he insisted and Xu saluted, and made her way out of the office.

_How had Seifer gotten out?_

_Why would he go off the deep end all of a sudden?_

_Where was he headed?_

Cid had questions, and by Hyne, he'd get answers.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268/**

**1420 hrs _Rewind_**

"Yeah, this is Murphy." The Balamb police captain answered the call, which had been forwarded to him from his secretary. He was wrapping up an intense game of solitaire, which made the slow, uneventful days a little easier to bear.

"Yes, I was calling in response to that Garden cadet," the marketer on the end of the line stated. "I think I just saw him with a woman, headed towards the docks."

Murphy shot to his feet, and slipped on his black sport jacket, "Which dock?"

"South Bay, but I don't know which dock number. I didn't…" the man started to explain, but was cut off by the dial tone. Murphy had all the information he needed, and wasn't wasting any time.

"Netta," Murphy spoke to his secretary as he headed for the exit, "Call Rourke and tell him to get down to the South Bay docks immediately. I'm taking a unit down myself." He stated, exiting the station before he even heard a reply.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268/**

**1427 hrs _Rewind_**

The puffy white clouds sailed overhead in the early afternoon sky, indicating the early signs of rainfall. Seifer continued along, his black rubber soles clapping against the dark, splintering wood of the docks. Even as Quistis met his pace, she could still feel him tugging at her arm, just another example of Seifer's wide-ranging distrust.

She knew he had realized that Garden had by now cut off the more practical means of traveling the six-hundred mile watery distance between Balamb and Timber. She knew any type of transportation Seifer had in mind would not be enough to outrun Garden's Creeper vessels, or allied countries who Garden could contact to assist in recapturing him. _Seifer was fighting an uphill battle, and the further he climbed, the further that inevitable fall would be_. SeeD had successfully taken down terrorist groups and small armies on several occasions, so why did one man think he had what it took to butt heads with the very group he once yearned to be a part of?

_Obduracy_, cut and dry.

"So what's your big plan," Quistis asked, quite interested on how Seifer expected to get them to Timber, "A boat, a ferry?" she asked, but felt as Seifer, and her as well came to a screeching halt. He looked up at the rusted white sight that read **Dock 7** in blocky black letters, stared down the waterfront, and continued walking.

"A little too conventional for my tastes," he began as they walked down the pier, passing fishmongers and importers who were conducting business. Seifer smiled and gently turned Quistis to see what he had in mind.

"I prefer the old school transportation," he stated and pointed a finger.

What Quistis saw upon turning boggled her mind, a feat that wasn't easily accomplished. Before her stood a chocobo, which were an endangered species, a crossbreed of a chicken and an ostrich. Chocobos were workhorses, mainly used for transportation and farming, but weren't all that common anymore, especially in Balamb. What shocked her the most wasn't that it was a chocobo, but the breed of chocobo it was. There were several breeds of the animal, its color usually dictating what they were used for.

Quistis eyes were fixed on the rarest of all breeds, the golden chocobo. They were capable of traversing any type of terrain, could easily tread water and soar through the skies at high speeds. There were only six gold chocobos known to be left in the entire world, which made her wonder how the hell Seifer got a hold of one.

"What the…how did you get this?" she questioned loudly.

"You think you're the only one who has connections?" he asked, "Get in!" he insisted, opening the door to the ergonomically designed cabin. It looked a lot like a bullet-shaped watercraft with retractable-wheeled skis on the bottom, which made it suitable for transportation by air, land and sea.

"Wait, I might not know _everything_ about you, but I know you didn't have time to learn how to handle a gold chocobo." She contested, knowing had he tried to handle the wildly unpredictable animal without any experience, they'd be dead or stranded at sea in a matter of hours.

"Fine observation! There may be hope for you yet,", "I never said I was in the driver's seat." Seifer answered, and on cue, walked out an elder man, wearing a fuzzy grey beard, sunglasses, tropical clothing and a sunhat.

"Ahh, Seifer!" the sprightly man boomed, grabbing his attention.

"Choco Bill, always a pleasure," Seifer welcomed, shaking the mans hand. It was about as nice as she'd ever seen Seifer be, but if the old man was doing him a favor, she knew it was only for that reason. After the man slid the dark glasses off his face, she recognized him from a magazine she frequently read.

"I know you. You were a chocobo racer, weren't you?" she asked, and let out a loud yelp to everyone's surprise.

"The best! But these days chocobo racing isn't as popular, due to that damn Triple Triad! These days, I just travel around the world, taking people where they need to go on Boco here." He said, combing his fingers through the beautiful golden feathers of his chocobo, "I may not have a license to be doing this, but no one will get you where you need to go faster than Choco Bill!" he finished, but Seifer held up a gloved hand.

"Save the sales pitch, Billy. We need to get to Timber, and fast! How soon can you get us there?" Seifer asked. He was obviously raring to get to Timber, but he hadn't made it known his true goals. _What was over there that was so important? Was he really that concerned about Squall and his group, or was there more to this sordid little affair than she knew of? _

There had to be.

"Timber? Don't know why you would wanna go there, but you're the customer. I'd say tomorrow morning." Bill responded, Seifer seeming more than pleased with the answer.

"Perfect, to Timber it is!" he stated, and looked back at Quistis, stepping off to the side and bowing sarcastically, "Ladies first."

Quistis rolled her eyes, "How thoughtful..." she replied, and stepped inside the small craft. The interior was well air conditioned, and had a long black couch and several pillows, with radios, televisions, and even a small refrigerator. There was also a pilot's seat, since golden chocobos moved so fast, a person could not withstand the wind factor if riding it from the outside. There was a large panel of controls and displays, which mainly showed the settings of the carriage itself such as speed, longitude and latitude, and temperature, and a few which displayed the chocobos health and nutrient level.

Just as Seifer prepared to join her, his eyes were directed to the other end of the pier, eyes falling upon about seven black and blue uniforms he identified as Balamb PD. They never traveled in such numbers unless they were looking for something, or _someone_, in particular.

"We got company," Seifer stated, slamming the door behind Quistis, and looked around, spotting a tool line that ran from the top of the hardware store, to one of the docked boats at the pier.

"I'll be back," he spoke as he watched a plan unfold in his mind, and ran towards the entrance of the store.

"Seifer!" Quistis called out, but got no reply. The doors of the craft were much like child-security locks, in that they couldn't be opened from the inside, except from the control panel, but by the time she would've figured out which button did what, Seifer would've surely already done whatever it was he set out to do.

Looking back, she watched as the local police questioned the citizens along the dock, no doubt looking for her and Seifer. It was Garden procedure to warn Balamb PD of any incidents pertaining fugitive SeeD's or cadets, and the civilian neighborhood watches probably spotted them and informed the police they were in the area. Within five minutes, they a few of the officers were near the craft, questioning everyone near the end of the dock. They had questioned Choco Bill, but he was easily able to throw them off with his idiocy. Just as it appeared the officers had given up, a man wearing a black sports jacket stepped out of hiding, startling her.

"Hey cutie," the man said, smiling with coffee-stained teeth. "Captain Murphy, Balamb PD. Mind stepping from the vehicle?"

Quistis pointed to the handle, "Can you open the door?" she asked, and he smiled.

"Surely!" he obliged, opening the door allowing the blonde to step out. "Ooh boy, aren't you a tall glass of water!" Murphy flirted, Quistis being less than interested.

"How can I help you, Captain?" she asked, warding off his provocative glare.

Murphy handed her Seifer's picture, "Looking for this guy. Have you seen him?"

Lying was definitely something she didn't like doing, even when a situation called for it. Garden actually had classes to teach future SeeD's how to be good liars, Interrogation Tactics, the only class she'd ever come close to failing. Plain and simple, she sucked at it. It affected all aspects of her life, even the little things. From playing Triple Triad or poker, to keeping a secret the little crushes she had in the past. Probably why it wasn't a secret to her close friend that she had feelings for Squall.

The air got caught in her throat as she attempted to distort the truth, her eyes trembling with the fear of being caught in a lie.

"…No, I can't say I have," she forced out after a pause, her face blush, and unable to stare Murphy in the eyes. She never backed down from a stare down, even Seifer could back up that claim, but the stigma of being dishonest shamed her. It was more of a moral issue than an intimidation factor.

"You're lying," he stated the obvious. "You know something, don't you?" he asked, Quistis desperately trying to seek within herself the ability to hide the truth, at least for that moment. It was battle between her instincts and her conscience, both equally strong, but conscience normally won out.

"Look, I am on my vacation, so if you don't mind…" she lied again, and tried to step back into the small craft, but felt as the captain grabbed her, and pulled her out.

"Oh, but I do," he said staring deep into her eyes, obviously not fooled by her charade. "Keep an eye on this one. Our man's around here somewhere." Murphy stated, and two of his officers restrained her.

Just a short five seconds later, a detonation shook the back area of the hardware store next to them, causing uproar. Out of the store flooded all the customers, cashiers and traders, screaming obscenities and even crying. They were not used to such anarchy in a city that's criminal activity was virtually nil.

Murphy knew in his gut that this rebel was responsible, "I want six men out here in case he gets away! The rest of you; lets go!" he yelled, as they charged towards the front and crashed through the doors.

Seifer had been waiting for the perfect time, and it had arrived. He had asked to use the bathroom of the shop, and the happily allowed him. Secondly, he broke into the back to find a way to cause a diversion. He used a metal drum of gasoline and some convenient fire magic to cause the explosion, and the Balamb PD had acted predictably. He snuck into the attic and through the hatch on the roof, which had a tool line that connected to one of the nearby ships, so that customers could easily transfer purchased items, especially the heavier ones without having to lug it all the way over to their ships.

It had worked out even better than Seifer could've imagined, seeing as two of the officers waiting on the outside were directly within his path. The other four he knew he would make quick work of. They weren't used to such action, and Seifer knew even the most naïve cadet at Garden could take out these lazy slobs. Those days of rich coffee and jelly-filled doughnuts were about to bite them in the ass. Seifer grabbed a nearby grease towel that was lying on the roof, placed it around the rubber cord, and slid quickly down.

The first two officers didn't even see it coming as Seifer's momentum alone was able to knock both soldiers off the pier and into the water. Seifer landed on his feet and looked to his left, noticing the two officer's holding Quistis, and the two others running towards him, batons raised and seeming unafraid of the maverick. The first came in swinging downward, as Seifer merely moved to the side and stuck a foot out, tripping the man as he fell flat on his face, and rolled off the pier. The second was a bit more tactful, but really didn't have a chance from the get go. The officer squared off with Seifer, as he made a motion as if to punch the policeman. The officer flinched, and Seifer laughed. Humiliated, the officer lunged forth and swung a hard right fist, Seifer again easily dodging the punch, and using the man's forward momentum to toss him into the water with his fellow officers.

Just as Seifer prepared to take action against the officers that had Quistis in custody, he noticed both of the officers were lying limp beside her, passed out in deep slumber. Quistis had figured she'd spare them any unneeded injuries or embarrassment, and cast sleep magic on both of them. Until that point, Seifer was unaware she was carrying Shiva, which meant if she had wanted to put up a fight she could have, seeing as how she was more experienced with magic casting than he was.

Quistis and Seifer both ran over to the opened hatch of the craft, "Billy, let's roll!" Seifer yelled.

"Sure thing!" Choco Bill answered and opened the front hatch, crawling in the front seat and adjusting some controls. Just as Seifer prepared to crawl in, a gunshot rang out, Seifer looking up to see the bullet screaming towards his face. If it weren't for Maduin's speed enhancement, Seifer would've been dead before he even looked up, but he was able to bend back, and watch the bullet glide past his face, barely.

Standing back up, Seifer saw Balamb PD Captain Murphy holding a Larico 9mm pistol, dead set on him.

"Freeze, punk!" Murphy called out. Seifer noticed about five officers within the store, coming to the front to assist their captain. Seifer knew he had to act fast, and did so.

"If you insist," he answered, extending both arms, sending icy winds gusting heavily towards Murphy and the hardware store. The wintry gusts caused Murphy to fall to the ground, and broke through the windows of the store, chilling the officers that had no protection against Seifer's magical attacks. Seifer smiled as he watched the officers struggle to stand amidst the freezing cold. Knowing they were taken care of, Seifer crawled in, and slammed the hatch. Just as Bill prepared to take off, Quistis voice cried out.

"Seifer, look!" she yelled. Seifer glanced back to where she was looking, spotting four SeeD's from Garden security running down the pier.

"Damn…" Seifer cursed, watching as they drew closer, "Go!" he yelled to Bill.

"Hang on, Boco takes a bit to get goin'." Bill stated, just as they started moving, slowly.

"This isn't a damn car, Bill! It doesn't need to warm up!" Seifer angrily demanded, watching as the SeeD's with GF enhanced speed blazed towards them. Boco stepped off the pier and into the water, dragging the craft with it, splashing water into the air. The chocobo's speed slowly started to increase, treading the waves of the water with passengers in tow. Seifer looked back after reaching fifty feet out, noticing the SeeD's in pursuit had dived in and were swimming fast. Of course, they had no chance to catch up to the chocobo, and eventually retreated back to the pier.

Then, without warning, another threat surfaced from below the water. A Creeper vessel had snuck up, and was trailing just behind them. Bill noticed this, and decided it was time to take to the air.

"Everybody strapped in?" Choco Bill asked, Quistis and Seifer both nodding. "Hang on, and enjoy the ride! Yee-Haw!" he exclaimed, and began to direct Boco to go up. Just as the chocobo began to ascend, Bill looked back with a scared look on his face, and brought the craft back down.

"Someone's hanging on the back!" he told Seifer, who looked back, noticing a pair of hands hanging off the craft and skittering of the top of the water. No doubt it was a SeeD aboard the vessel.

"Just take it up!" Seifer demanded.

Bill shook his head, "But' it'll kill him!" he replied.

Choco Bill was willing to aide in Seifer's escape in order to get paid, but he would never endanger someone's life, and whether he'd admit it or not, Seifer didn't want to see another SeeD die either. He was unruly, and wasn't afraid to kill those who threatened him, but he knew they were just trying to recapture him after what he'd done. It wasn't a surprise; he had broken the laws of Garden, and society for that matter.

There would be consequences.

For now though, he refused to face them. More important events hung in the balance, and his freedom played an integral part at how those events would pan out. Seifer grumbled and opened up the hatch, and Bill decreased the speed, knowing full well Seifer was going up top. Seifer reached up around the top of the hatch, and pulled himself up top. Water kicked up from underneath the craft, spraying him with seawater as he stood upright. He walked slowly atop the slick surface, creeping towards the edge to confront the SeeD.

Finally, he reached the edge and carefully looked over the side, confused when he saw no one hanging on. He looked up and smiled, under the impression that the SeeD couldn't hang on, at least until his Maduin sensed the presence of another individual just beside him. Seifer spun around fast, preparing to draw Hyperion, but was stopped mid-motion as the heel of a boot made contact with his right cheek.

Seifer grit his teeth and rubbed his cheek, feeling a mix of blood and grated skin.

"Seifer, you aren't getting away, give it up!" the feminine Estharian voice spoke confidently. Seifer stood up and glared at the woman he once wanted to bed, but now wanted nothing more than to knock her teeth out. Had she not been a woman, he just might have.

Seifer turned his scowl to a snooty grin, "Xu, we have a full flight today, I'm afraid you wont be able to board." He said cockily, then watched as she swung a hard right hand, and ducked it easily, but watched as she swung that same right arm back again for a backhand.

He caught it just before she struck him, and forcefully bent her arm behind her back, causing her to wince in pain. Just as he began to whisper into her ear, he felt her left elbow crack him in the nose, and her right foot kick him in the knee. He could feel that her Guardian Force was definitely stronger than his, not to the point where he had no chance of winning, but she definitely held the upper hand. He wouldn't be able to beat her directly, so he needed to find another way of coming out the victor.

Luckily for Seifer, finding _another way_ was his specialty. He looked up, and lured Xu towards him with his fingers.

"Come on," he said, and put all his fingers down, except for one, "Bitch!"

Xu's face erupted in red anger. Seifer was never one to show respect, but he had just crossed a line that he never had before. She was somewhat of a firecracker, but she was usually able to control her emotions in the face of such contempt. This was not one of those times, though.

She dashed forth, rage being her guide. Seifer used her lack of mental focus against her and fell onto his back, grabbing both of her arms as he did. He used every last bit of strength he had to hold her still, bending his legs and resting as feet against her chest. He quickly reached into his jacket, pulled out a manilla envelope, and shoved it into Xu's inside coat pocket so that it wouldn't fall out.

"Be sure to give this to Cid," he yelled and brought his legs in closer while holding her arms, "This is where you get off!" he stated and focused his magical energy, feeling as a surge of strength flooded his thighs and calves. He then sprung his legs outward, launching Xu at least thirty feet into the air, watching as splashed back into the sea under her. He saw her reemerge and watch the distance between her an the craft expanded.

"Bon voyage!" he smiled, waved to her, and headed back inside.

Upon arriving, Choco Bill looked back and nodded, "We're going up!" he told him, and Seifer nodded in approval. Bill wasted no time in going airborne, Quistis and Seifer both feeling as the craft quickly lifted into the air, high above the sea and city below. Seifer looked over to Quistis and smiled, watching as she froze and clutched onto the seat.

"Great view, huh?" Seifer asked her with a laugh, the boats and people below fading to the size of mere pinpricks.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "…Yeah, g-great."

"What's this," Seifer asked, biting back the laughter, "The great Quistis Trepe, afraid of heights?" he asked, with a smirk, dimples cutting sharply into his cheeks.

"Shut up Seifer," she insisted with fright in her voice.

"Don't worry," he stated with a shrug as he lied back on the fluff pillow, "Your secret's safe with me!"

* * *

**Two whole reviews last chapter! Alright, a sign that this story is headed in the right direction! Let's go…** Inside Look 

I added local police officers to give it a little bit of a real world feel. I hope I accomplished that. I want it to feel like a _REALISTIC FANTASY_. Something people find new and enthralling, yet can relate it to this world. It's not always easy, but it's fun.

I wanted to give this whole chapter to Seifer instead of jumping back in forth.

I included rewind; since it happened prior to events I already posted in this story. Got that off a story I read years ago.

I'm not a huge fan of the Timber part of the story, at least up until they catch up with the president. I guess that's why I've been putting it off.

I was going to make the cop a lot more bad ass, but figured I have a lot of new badass characters coming in the near future, and didn't want to add too many.

Had to include some chocobos in the story…this seemed right.

Hope you like the interaction between Quistis and Seifer. It was more to build up towards my sequel…but the way things are going with this, I don't know if we'll see it.

Finally, some action! Might not have been much, but at least it was something!

Prodigy's Corner 

**Kaiser: **Yep, more Xu here, and more to come. As far as optional GF's I don't know. Don't wanna give nothing away, but expect to see a lot of GF's in my story. Might not be ones from FF8, but some from past FF's and some from the my lil' ole imagination!

**Leonhart-Zero**: My second review this chapter, yey! Anyway, glad you liked!

Anyway, got a lot of next chapter already done, so if I can build my motivation to finish it, I might have it out by this weekend. Like I said, don't really like the Timber part of the story. Changed it to where I like it a lot more, but still don't like that part…Please review…the story needs it! Peace people!

Prodigy 


	14. Chapter XI: Runaway Train

**Chapter XI **

**_Runaway Train_**

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1644 hrs**

Exactly one hour had past since they left Dastar, where they picked up the fake presidential cabin and three other members of the Forest Owl's faction. The time since then had been spent relaxing and getting mentally prepared for what was to come. The Owls were sitting in the chuck wagon aboard the train, eating sandwiches and exchanging jokes. For the first thirty minutes, Squall sat with them, listening to the hodgepodge of conversations that had virtually nothing to do with the mission; thus meant absolutely nothing to him.

Countless times, he heard questions asked pertaining to life at Garden, and what it was like to be a part of the most feared military unit on the planet. He barely listened as Selphie described the good times up in Trabia, and Zell stretching the truth about his exploits as a SeeD. There was a large stack of turkey and ham sandwiches sitting in the middle of the table, made especially for them by one of the underground members of the Owl's. Squall watched as Zell put away four of them within a matter of minutes, all the while talking with a full mouth of chewed meat and bread. Every so often, he'd look over, catching Rinoa gazing at him, and then watching her blush as she realized she was doing so.

He eventually decided he'd rather be anywhere but there, and dismissed himself, hearing grunts as he rudely left the room. He retreated back to the strategy room, looking over the hanging articles and the model train track that had been set up. He found it hard to pay attention during the Forest Owl's brief, the whole time wondering how in the world Garden authorized a request that was so tainted with incongruities. Something wasn't right; someone was holding the truth from him. Sad thing was, there wasn't a thing he could do about it, and even if there was, he wouldn't. He was too disciplined, and stubborn for that matter, to question anything, regardless of how dubious a situation was.

After carefully reviewing the key aspects of the mission and drawing up his own personal strategy, he left the room to rejoin his party. He continued to the back of the train, finding Selphie and Zell waiting for the construction crew to put the finishing touches on the reproduced presidential cabin. The crew wanted to impress everyone, and didn't allow the SeeD's or other faction members to view it until they were confident it looked just like the real thing. After a few moments, Rinoa walked out with a smile on her face.

"If you three would come in, we'll show our masterpiece!" Rinoa stated to the SeeD's, who seemed sluggish as they stepped inside behind Rinoa. None of them had a clue as to what the real presidential cabin looked like, but the fake one had a very elegant appeal itself. Standing inside were two young men and a woman, all dressed in ratty attire, no doubt hailing from Timber.

"This is Koren, Streak and Merell." Rinoa introduced. "They are the construction team who built this cabin, which looks exactly like the presidential cabin."

The man name Koren nodded, "Princess Rinoa was able to get photos of the inside of the cabin from one of her sources, and we modeled everything you see off that!" he spoke, seeming nervous and excited.

"You sure have a lot of sources on the inside," Selphie pointed out, and Rinoa shrugged, somewhat timidly.

"Man, this is nice," Zell spoke as he walked around the cabin, measuring it up, "Not bad a'tall!" he chirped, and Selphie nodded in agreement.

It had been done remarkably well considering the low budget, but anyone with a sharp eye could spot something wrong. Squall himself noticed several just glancing around. The statues to both sides of him were spray-painted gold, some of the furniture such as the wine cabinet and armoire looked threadbare, and the paintings in the room were obviously not authentic. Just then, the most blaring oversight the Forest Owl's had made stuck out to Squall like a sore thumb, but was beat to the punch by his fellow SeeD.

"Sure, the cabin might be straight," Zell began, "But I think they might notice the president is missing! Just a thought." he pointed out in a smart-ass way.

"We got that covered," the brown haired man named Streak answered, "Bring him in!" he yelled out the door.

The SeeD's along with Rinoa looked back, watching as a short pudgy man walked in backwards, dragging carefully with him what looked like a dead body. He huffed and puffed as he carried the figure with him, throwing him into the velvety cushioned booth, and turned around, soaked in sweat.

"Hey SeeD's!" the man said with a big wave, the three mercenaries barely acknowledging. "Names Rodney, I'm the deception expert of this little group," he told them, and turned back, pulling the body to sit upright, revealing the uncanny face of the man in the booth.

"And this, is Dummy Deling," Rodney introduced the SeeD's to the dummy, who looked almost like an exact replica of the Galbadian president.

The skin of the face was made of synthetic latex-mold compound, crafted to capture every bump, curve and wrinkle of Deling's devil-made face. The body was dressed in a black suit and tie, the same type and color Deling wore consistently. Rodney and Streak adjusted the dummy within the booth, feet flat on the floor, back straight, arms curved and looking straightforward. After tweaking Dummy Deling's posture, Zell and Selphie inched closer, captivated at how much it looked like the real president.

"Damn, looks just like him," Zell said, and shivered, "Scary."

It was a bit creepy the resemblance the dummy shared with its real life counterpart, even Squall was surprised at how much detail had been put into it. He had to commend them on the fine job, but there was one aspect that could easily be detected at closer look.

_The eyes_. Eyes were much more than human anatomy, they were truth, they were soulful, and they reflected all the sins a person carried. The glass orbs of the dummy held nothing.

_No truth…No soul…No sins. _Nothing.

"He hasn't been activated yet, but I'll feel ya in," Rodney began, as Streak and Koren placed a newspaper within Deling's grasp, having him hold it upwards, covering his face.

"As you can see, Dummy Deling here will be reading the newspaper. I made it so that he has a variety of subtle movements to throw his security off-guard. Also, I built a microphone inside the dummy, and my guys will be controlling everything the dummy says." Rodney explained, until getting a nod from Streak. He grabbed a small remote that was clipped onto his belt, and pressed down on a button.

"Watch, ask him a question…" he told Zell, and moved to the side. Zell walked up slowly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Uhh, what's goin' on, prez!" he questioned. It seemed as if the dummy was voice activated, watching as the dummy shook the paper, his head lifted a bit and moved side to side as it were reading.

"You came in here to ask that? I suggest you leave, immediately!" Dummy Deling replied, the voice sounding very humanlike instead of grainy and recorded.

"Whoa, it does sound like him," Selphie noted, smiling. Squall was most surprised at how well this facet of the operation was thought out, seeming as everything before that was done on the spot; mainly the parts of the mission in which SeeD played key roles.

"Okay, it's almost time," Rinoa stated as she walked in front of them, "Let's go up front so we can over everything one last time."

The three SeeD's along with Rinoa walked to the front of the train, where Zone and Watts were busy getting things ready. They had set up a ladder underneath the hatch they would use to get atop the roof, and brought out boxes of equipment for them to use. Zone reached inside one of the cardboard boxes and pulled out a thick rubber belt with a fastener and steel cord, and handed it to Squall.

"Squall, since you will be entering the codes, here is the rappelling belt you can use to slide down. If you wanna move down, just slide the handles downward, and move them up to get back to the top." Zone informed him. The belt looked old and used, with splotches of rust coating the metal, and a lot heavier than newer rappelling equipment.

"Here's the Rockers, just set it for ten minutes, and toss it." Zone continued, handing the device to Squall, and instructing him on how to program it, "It has a magnetic casing, so you won't have to worry about it falling off."

"Don't forget the pager, sir!" Watts added.

"Oh yeah," Zone nodded, unclipped a black pager from his belt, and handed it to Zell, "We will send you the codes via this pager, and you can then give the codes to Squall." He finished as Zell took it, and clipped to his waistband.

"And just make sure you pay attention to where the guards are," Rinoa told them, "They might not be able to detect you, but they can still see you."

With that, the SeeD's were ready to carry out the poorly devised plan. It didn't seem so much that the Forest Owls didn't have much income, just that they poorly prioritized and spent a majority of the funds on the constructing the fake presidential cabin and the Deling look-a-like, leaving little for the actual execution of the mission. Had they been able to meet Garden's price tag, not only would they might've gotten more experienced SeeD's, but also a fool-proof strategy from SeeD tactical experts, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

"Okay, let's go over everything one last time…" Rinoa stated, and reiterated the plan that wasn't even that good in the first place.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1701 hrs**

Onboard the second escort was three soldiers, the leader of the group, First Sergeant Dane Kojax, Tech Specialist Brent Cravens, and a prospective member of the Viper force, Corporal Livvon Telek, who had been assigned along with Kojax as training to see if he could handle a mission of such high importance, but Kojax was suspicious as to why the president approved it. In most cases, seven or eight Viper's crowded each escort, but on this particular outing, one Viper and two standard infantry soldiers were the only men guarding each escort. Even Deling's personal bodyguard was mysteriously absent, which was odd seeing that he never traveled without him.

Not that Kojax cared, he personally wouldn't have minded seeing a bullet burrow through Deling's skull. He hated the man, and everything he stood for. He had several friends throughout the years who had been punished severely for making negligible mistakes, all because Deling loved watching people suffer. To the citizens of Galbadia, he was still a monster, but always put up a front as if everything he did was for the people, but it couldn't have been further from the truth.

They were all sitting in the escort, talking about their personal lives and aspirations for the future until Kojax noticed the time. They were to update the president every half an hour of what was going on, and it was Kojax who was assigned to be the messenger.

"I don't wanna go in, damn it!" he demanded to his fellow soldiers as he paced back and forth.

"Just do it like a band-aid," Corporal Telek suggested, "One motion, right off!" he jokingly added, making Kojax grin.

Realizing he had no other choice, Kojax walked up to the door leading into the president's car, took a relaxing breath, and walked in. Upon entering, he saw Deling sitting at his small booth, smoking a cigar. Kojax slowly walked up until he was at the president's side, shot to attention, and properly saluted.

"Uh, Mr. President," he stammered, a bit unnerved.

Deling didn't even look over, he just shook his head in annoyance, "What now, soldier?"

"I just wanted to inform you that everything is on schedule," Kojax informed him, "We are approaching Obel Lake, and we are due to arrive in Timber as scheduled." He finished, hoping the president would just dismiss him promptly, but had no such luck.

"I keep telling you that I don't want a report unless I ask for it…" Deling stated, laid his cigar on the ashtray, and stood up. "But yet again, here you are!"

Kojax stared straight ahead, not even thinking about what would happen if he were to make eye contact with the man before him.

"I know, but Mr. Dandridge told me," he began, but shuddered as the president got right in his face.

"I don't give a fuck what Dandridge told you, I said…" he shouted, Kojax trembling in fear as Deling's vicious eyes burned through him. Just when Kojax thought the president was going to fly off the handle, he took a step back, adjusted his suit, and forced a smile on his face.

"Dismissed," he stated calmly, sat back down in his seat, and began to read the newspaper once more. Kojax began breathing again, and stepped back, giving a quick salute.

"Yes Mr. President," he replied and walked quickly back to the door. Upon stepping back into the second escort, he looked over at Sergeant Cravens, who was monitoring the sensors.

"How'd it go?" he asked, Kojax's face giving him an idea.

"I gotta be nuts to keep putting up with this shit!" Kojax answered with heavy breaths.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1719 hrs**

The three SeeD's along with Rinoa and Watts sat in the front compartment, silently. They all took that time to collect their composure, and reflect upon everything that led up to that moment. It was more personal for the Owl's, who were about to reach towards the unreachable goal. For the SeeD's it was merely a job, a means of making a living. None of them felt personally committed to making sure the mission was a success, which made them feel somewhat like outsiders, and for the most part, they were.

Suddenly, Zone reentered with a smile on his face.

"It's time," he told them as they all stood quickly, as ready as they'd ever be. "The train is just ahead."

"We'll be watching from here," Watts told the three SeeD's and walked over to Squall, "Good luck, sir!"

Squall nodded, and looked at Zell who seemed pumped. He felt bad excluding Selphie from the mission, but his decision had to be made keeping mission success in mind, not people's feelings. She didn't seem upset, but he could tell she wanted to go.

Zone had opened the hatch for them, the air and loud train noises from the outside were screaming in through the small opening. After double-checking all his equipment, Squall tossed the grappling belt over his shoulder, and started up. As he put his foot on the first metal rung of the ladder, he felt as two small hands wrapped around his forearm. He looked down at the hands with pink polished nails, tracing his eyes up to see Rinoa with a worried look on her face. A surge of feelings erupted through his mind, not used to the caring feeling Rinoa had just expressed for him. _Why would someone he had only known for a short time show such concern for his welfare?_

Rinoa released her worried clutch as she noticed everyone looking at her. She looked up at Squall, who was wearing a confused gaze, and smiled.

"Umm…be careful," she wished him luck, and took a step back.

Squall, still deep in thought, gave her a peculiar look, causing her to shy away. After a moment, he regained his focus and began his ascent to the roof, Zell following close behind. He poked his head up out of the opened hatch, the force of the air current from the speeding train took his breath away immediately, caused his eyes to tighten, and made his brown strands of hair whip and fly in every which direction. He quickly crawled completely out and kneeled on the roof, waiting for Zell to catch up. He watched as the Forest Owl's train closed in on the presidential train, Squall clenching his fist as a primal determination overtook him. He didn't care much for the mission, but that wouldn't stop him from carrying it out to the best of his ability.

Zell crawled out and kneeled beside Squall quickly, the heavy gusts unbalancing him for a slight instant. At the moment, wind was their biggest enemy, threatening to throw whoever challenged the powerful force right off the train, to probable death.

"This is a hell of a lot more action than I expected, that's for damn sure!" Zell yelled over the sounds of the train and the brutal wind, getting a nod from Squall.

Looking forth again, Squall noticed the presidential train just thirty yards ahead, and rapidly approaching. Him and Zell crouched and ran, keeping their weight low and shoulders squared, keeping their feet close to the roof's surface, minimizing the risk of toppling over. They had actually been trained on how to move atop the roof of a locomotive or other speeding vehicles, but had never actually had any hands-on training.

"We'll catch up to the second escort soon, so get ready," Squall spoke loudly, pointing ahead. Within a minute, they had caught up to their target, and were running side by side. The distance between the carts was a good seven feet, and taking into calculation the velocity of the train; it was quite a leap. Being that they didn't have all the proper equipment, Guardian Forces were going to be a key factor in the success of the mission.

He reached in his pocket, pulling out the small device with the timer on it. The device appeared to be homemade, and he wasn't sure exactly how they worked, but he didn't have much of a choice except to trust that it would do what it was designed to do. He set the timer for ten minutes, activated it, and began looking for a decent spot to throw the mechanism.

"Toss the Rocker, Squall!" Zell shouted, Squall dismissing his partner's impatience. He found a metal strip between the tinted windows of the presidential escort, and winded up to throw.

_"Hope this thing works," _Squall hoped to himself, and focused with Quezacotl as he chucked it forth, the strong magnetic casing making the Rocker grasp onto the metal strip as it hit dead on.

_"_Jump!" Squall yelled, Zell not wasting a moment as he took a few steps back, ran forth and sprung through the air with Ifrit's assistance, almost overshooting as he jumped to the far outer edge of the roof of the second escort. Squall followed suit, landing on the center of the roof as Zell walked up towards him, and pointed forward. Squall nodded, and looked around, the vistas of lush, rolling green pastures, the serene blue waters of Obel Lake, and the structures and buildings of the small towns in the distance blurred past him.

"Let's move," he said, looking back to Zell and waving him on, "Once we get to the first escort, we'll proceed with the uncoupling." Squall finished, and both proceeded along the rooftop of the second escort, hoping to Hyne that the Rocker was doing its job, and that the soldiers below were unaware that the president's security was now in jeopardy.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1726 hrs**

Within the second escort all was calm, just as it should be. Kojax had been interviewing Corporal Telek, trying to find out why exactly he wanted to be a Galbadian Viper. He was impressed with Telek, as he seemed to have all the makings of a good Viper, but still seemed a little green. He had only been in the military a little more than a year, and still had a lot to learn if he were to gain the distinction of being a Viper.

While listening to Kojax talk about why he became a Viper, Telek noticed the locomotive of a train just next to them, and slowly receding to the back. He shot over to the window, watching as the train fell behind about twenty feet. It was no longer next to it, but the young soldier remained suspicious.

"What are they doin' so close to the president's train?" Telek questioned, still looking down the track, pointing at the train that had been right next to them. Kojax walked up to the window and looked up, laughing at his subordinate's intuition.

"The president has his own train, not his own track," Kojax stated and walked back towards the metal chair he'd been reclining in. "We share these railroads with commercial lines as well."

"Oh," Telek responded, seeming somewhat confused. Cravens, who was keeping a keen eye on the sensors, shook his head.

"Stop being so damn paranoid," he told Telek, who bowed his head in humiliation, "You'll never be a Viper if you're that jittery!"

"Come on now," Kojax replied, "He's just worried about the president's welfare, that's all."

Just as Kojax spoke on Telek's behalf, a combination of beeps and alarms sounded through the cabin.

"Damn it!" Cravens cussed, and began adjusting many of the knobs and flicking multiple switches in an attempt to fix the problem.

"What is it?" Kojax asked, the colorful bar meters on the screen, which displayed the sound and temperature level was going haywire.

"Fucking sensors acting up again!" Craven's spat angrily, "State of the art equipment my ass…cheap bastards!"

"Can you fix it?" Kojax asked.

"Stand by…" Cravens replied, turned on his headset, and began conversing with the tech soldier aboard the second escort. "Clive is having the same problems. He said it might be because of the power lines."

Kojax peeked back out the window, sure enough seeing a long stretch of power lines running just next to them. Whatever the reason, he knew it was crucial that they get the equipment back up. It wasn't that he was concerned of an imposing strike; it was just that these were the types of small infractions the president liked to pick on and punish soldiers.

"Just try and get it back online," Kojax stated worriedly.

"Roger," Cravens nodded, and reset the system, unaware the power lines and sensory equipment were not at fault.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1728 hrs**

Squall and Zell reached the top of the first escort after crossing the roof of the presidential cabin with ease. The wind continued to be a nuisance, making it hard to see and breathe as the passing air wafted in their faces. Once reaching the front of the of the first escort, they knelt down, Squall peeking over the side of the car to see if he could spot the security panel needed to enter the codes. From his position he couldn't see it, but knew it was somewhere below the seal of the door. He knew there was no time to waste, so he put on the rappelling belt, ensured it was tight and secure around his waist, and pulled out the metal cord. It scratched with friction as he slid out extra slack, the cord rusted from age and overuse. It seemed strong enough to support his weight, but also felt brittle, like it could snap at any moment.

"Hope that thing holds up," Zell said as he observed the rusted rope.

"Yeah, me too." Squall agreed, tugging on the cord after latching the hook to the metal handle to the locked hatch.

The handles that controlled the cord were hard to move, grating against the rust as Squall pulled the handles release more cord. He leaned back towards the open air, looking down and watching the stony earth move beneath him, knowing the gravel and sharp stones beneath him would tear him up if he were to fall at that speed. He tried not to focus on the bad points, but it was hard not to when the odds were so heavily against him and the Owls. He gave one final look to Zell, and began his descent. He moved down, taking almost ten seconds to get below the door, hoping the guards weren't watching behind the darkened glass. His feet were planted to the metallic side of the train, feeling pain as the rubber belt pulled and dug into his hips.

"Do you see the keypad?" Zell yelled before Squall even had a chance to look. He put up his index finger, gesturing to Zell to give him a moment.

Squall bent his neck to the right, glancing underneath the train, just below the door. He spotted the panel, which had a small screen and what looked like a phone dial, with a few extra buttons. He lowered himself further so that he had a better view, his feet pressed against the bottom edge of the train as his body dangled dangerously close to ground. Looking up, he waved his fingers towards him, indicating to Zell that he was ready. The blonde SeeD nodded and looked down at the pager he was given, seeing that the Owl's had already sent him the first code.

"Okay," Zell shouted, "The first code is 2-9-1-8-8-5."

Squall typed in the six numbers, and watched as a small green light lit up on the panel.

"Okay, two more codes for this one!" Zell yelled, and Squall nodded. "The next code is…8-6-7-5-3-9."

Squall entered the second code and pressed enter, watching as yet another green light activated. Squall's mind continuously wondered if any guards had spotted, seeing that he could not observe them through the dark tinted windows. He only hoped Quezacotl would serve as his all-seeing eyes and warn him of any guards that might be aware of his presence. He looked back up to Zell, and signaled for the third and final code.

"Last code is…" Zell began, looking down to see that the Owl's hadn't sent the last code yet, "Come on!" he demanded loudly, aggravated that they hadn't sent the code yet. Within moments, the digital numbers came up, and Zell relayed the code.

"8-0-8-7-8-3," he shouted to Squall, who quickly pressed the numbers and hit enter. A third green light came up and all three began to blink, joined by a clicking sound in the back near the connection circuits.

"That's all of 'em," Zell informed him, "Get yer ass up here!"

Squall began to push on the handles, finding it twice as hard to rappel back up. He knew it was too risky to use the handles, so he grabbed the cord with his bare hands and began yanking himself up quickly, getting back to the roof within a few seconds. He unhooked the cord from the handle, noticing his hands were cut and bloody from the unforgiving metal cord. He dismissed his torn hands and stood up, running to the top of the presidential cabin with Zell behind him.

Standing on the roof just above Deling, the two SeeD's looked on ahead. The locomotive and the first escort uncoupled from the presidential car and the second escort, which slowed down locomotive and first escort kept its pace. Just then, both SeeD glanced off to the side, watching as the Forest Owl's base and fake presidential cabin speeded ahead and reached the switchpoint. The Forest Owls train sped onto the monorail, in between the first escort and the presidential cabin. It had been perfectly timed and to where the Owl's base was in position to link up with the presidents train. The Owl's slowed down a bit, waiting for the Presidential cabin to link up with it, then sped up again, eventually linking up with the first escort.

And with that, the Forest Owls and the president's train were now moving along the same track as one.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1730 hrs**

"They did it!" Rinoa exclaimed as she looked through the window, seeing all had fell into place without a hitch. At first she had her doubt, under the impression the SeeD's would slack off and not give the Forest Owl's the support they needed to make it a successful mission. But after seeing how smoothly the first uncoupling went, here doubts weren't as strong as they once were, but there was still much to do.

"Princess!" Watts' voice cried out as he ran back into the room where Selphie and Rinoa had been watching.

"What is it Watts?" she asked with concern, seeing the out of breath Watts struggling to speak.

"We forgot about the dummy car!" he exclaimed between breaths, just as Zone walked out behind him, holding a paper in his hand.

"What are you talking about?" Rinoa questioned and handed the paper to Rinoa. It was the illustration of the train, with instructions and diagrams of how everything was to work. One instruction had been circled multiple times with a red marker…_Uncouple base from dummy car, make off with real presidential car at upcoming switchpoint, _it read, with an arrow pointing towards the upcoming junction.

"The dummy car needs to be uncoupled from our car!" Zone exclaimed, rubbing his strained eyes, "We didn't catch this until now. I don't know how we could've missed this!"

"Take it easy, Zone," Rinoa calmed him, "I'll get the message to him."

"There's a problem though," Watts stated, "They won't have enough time to uncouple both by themselves. The Rockport Junction isn't far ahead, and if they don't finish in time, they might be stranded aboard one of the escort cabins."

Rinoa closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had been so concerned with SeeD not coming through, that she hadn't even considered the Forest Owl's making a mistake.

"We only have one SeeD left," Zone stated, pointing to Selphie, then leaned against the nearby wall. "What are we going to do?"

Rinoa bit her lip as she thought. The situation wasn't looking good, and was all due to one oversight that just may have completely changed the outcome of the mission. It was now a matter of win or lose, there was no pulling out now, seeing as they were locked between the other cars of the presidential train. She refused to let this mistake spell the end of the Forest Owl's; Timber independence was at stake.

She remembered just two and half years earlier, being a typical sophomore in high school, leading a life that to some was glamorous, but to her lacked any type of excitement. Being raised as an army brat her entire life, her father had set forth different ideals for her, making her abide by a strict regiment and timely schedule from a young age. Her life was modeled around order and discipline, much like that of a SeeD, but her strongest desire was to make a difference and find some excitement that she never really had growing up.

It wasn't until she found the Forest Owl's that everything in her life started to change. She had known Zone from a young age, and he had always told her of how bad Timber was getting, and when she was finally able to see it first hand, she knew then and there she wanted to help. Her connection to the Galbadian military through her father and her family's wealth had helped the Owls become one of the more powerful resistance factions in Timber. She had never had to go through what the citizens of Timber had endured, but just watching the hopeless mothers begging for food for the children who were growing up into an impoverished future made her obstinate in her quest to free Timber from Deling's grasp. This was her calling, and even though her father hated it, this was what she wanted. She was willing to go to hell and back if only to see Timber flourish once more.

She knew then what she had to do.

Rinoa walked over to one of the cardboard boxes, reached in, pulled out a spare rappelling belt, and walked up to Selphie.

"Are you ready?" Rinoa asked, Selphie proud of Rinoa for acting so bravely.

"Princess…" Zone asked, walking up to her worriedly, "You're not going up there, are you?"

"We need to do this," Rinoa confirmed, resting her foot on the first rung of the ladder. "There's no other way."

"Rinoa!" Watts called out, and ran over to her, taking her hand in his, "Please, be careful."

Rinoa caringly smiled at Watts, and began up the ladder with Selphie right behind her.

It was do or die.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1731 hrs**

Another half an hour had passed, which meant it was time to update the president once more. Nothing had been going on, but that didn't mean that they could slack off from their duties. The president had reacted badly the last time he updated him, so he knew it was only a matter of time before Deling flipped his lid.

Then a thought came to mind. _Maybe if someone else were to do give him the report, Deling wouldn't be so mad_. He couldn't get Cravens to do it since he was still busy trying to get the sensors back up, and wasn't about to send Corporal Telek in there and possibly stutter and be thrown in the brig. So he decided to patch through to his fellow Viper in the second escort.

"Zane, can you give the president his update?" he questioned to the senior Sergeant.

"That's your job, Kojax!" Sergeant Zane countered, "You were handpicked by Dandridge, not me."

"Come on, do me a solid!" Kojax pleaded.

"Yeah right!" Zane replied, laughing on the other end.

"Asshole!" Kojax cursed at him, and shook his head madly. He couldn't get too angry though, since he knew he'd probably react the same way. He glanced over, watching Cravens smack the side of one of the terminals as the screen before him turned to a solid blue.

"Are the sensors up yet?" Kojax asked, pretty sure that they weren't.

"Naw, every time I get them back up, the system freezes and reboots," Cravens answered, sounding very stressed.

"Alright," he replied, and then walked towards the door to the presidential cabin, "Going in!"

He decided to do it quickly as his subordinate had earlier suggested, hoping maybe he could get in and get out before the president could give him another verbal lashing. Opening the door, he rushed in and stood right next to the president, and gave a quick salute. Looking at the president, he seemed to be deep in thought with his nose buried in the newspaper.

"Mr. President?" Kojax announced, watching as the presidents head shook, the soldier readying himself for a scolding.

"What is it?" the president asked, sounding agitated.

"I just wanted to inform you, the sensors are down, but all conditions remain normal," Kojax blurted, sounding more like one long word than a status report. He only hoped the president didn't get angry on account of that.

"Fine," Deling replied, "If there is nothing else, I would like to be alone. I'm in a very bad mood right now."

Kojax was surprised at the composed manner in which the president dismissed him. Deling wasn't one to share his feelings, and usually had he not been in the cheeriest of spirits, he would express himself by giving the poor soldier who delivered the report a one way ticket to D-District Prison, just for his amusement.

"Yes, Mr. President." Kojax answered, saluted and made quick pace towards the door.

Just as he reached for the handle, he paused, his soldier instincts stopping him. He glanced back through the cabin, finding it to be a bit different than he remembered. The lights were a bit too bright for Deling's tastes, who he was informed liked the cabin to be dimly lit. Also, a distinct smell filled the cabin, almost flowery, which struck him as odd. The statues and walls around room seemed to be of darker shades than he recalled. He really didn't know what to make of these slight abnormalities, but he didn't care. He didn't see anything that was so blaringly out of place that rectified questioning the president, which he knew may have been nothing more than his imagination. He simply shrugged, opened the door, and exited without a sound.

Stepping back out, Cravens and Telek both looked up, "How'd it go?" Cravens asked.

"That was weird," Kojax answered, leaning back against the door, "He was actually civil…like it wasn't even him!"

"Ha, maybe he had a spiritual enlightening in the past half hour!" Cravens answered, still fiddling with the equipment, not aware of how much that equipment was needed at that point in time.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1733 hrs**

After everything had moved into place, Squall and Zell moved on, heading towards the roof of the second escort to proceed with the next uncoupling. Continuing down the length of the train, this time the wind behind them, Squall felt a hand tap him on the back. Looking back, he saw Zell standing right beside him, his arm stretched out pointing to the rear. Bringing his eyes to survey Zell's interest, Squall's eyes widened, watching as the two young women who were supposed to be safely on the train crawled out from the hatch of the Forest Owl's base. Squall looked back at Zell, who shrugged, obviously not aware of why Rinoa and Selphie were joining them up top.

And judging by the second rappelling belt Rinoa had with her, it wasn't just to chat.

"What are you two doing here?" Squall yelled over the screaming gusts as he approached them, "I told you to stay on the train!"

"Zell and Selphie need to uncouple the dummy train from our car, while me and you uncouple the second escort." Rinoa informed him, handing the other rappelling belt to Zell.

"This is dangerous!" Squall yelled, "You're going to get yourself killed!"

"I know what I'm doing," she answered, and looked at Selphie and Zell, and back to Squall, "Now let's go!" Squall too looked over at his comrades, watching Selphie wave Zell along.

"Come on, Zell!" she instructed, the blonde complying and running behind her towards the dummy train.

Squall 's eyes locked onto Rinoa as she looked up at him, seeing in her eyes that she was going to come with him regardless of what he said. He knew he was going to need someone to relay the codes, and from what little he knew of the rest of the Forest Owl members, Rinoa was most likely the best candidate. What made him angry was the poor planning. Had they informed him earlier, he could've come up with a safer strategy, but now nothing was certain. One wrong step and she was surely a goner, especially without the enhancements the SeeD's had due to their Guardian Forces.

He ran behind her as she continued forth, looking down at his watch to see that just over three minutes remained until the train reached the next switchpoint. Rinoa was able to jump across the lines without assistance, but Squall was sure to keep a cautious eye on her in case she happened to slip. The tail of her light blue dress fluttered back as the wind sailed past her, obviously not great attire for such an activity. Upon reaching the front of the second escort, Squall peeked over the edge again, not seeing, but at least knowing this time exactly where the security panel was.

"After we enter these last codes, we're home free," Rinoa yelled as she latched the hook onto the metal handle on the roof, Squall tugging on it to make sure it was fastened securely, "We have three minutes left to get this all done."

Squall nodded, and backed up towards the ledge, knowing there was no time to waste. He quickly began releasing more line, trying to get to the panel beneath before the guards inside could spot him. He was able to get down without detection, and adjusted himself in a better position, before waving to Rinoa that he was ready. Rinoa had known the codes from memory, seeing as she was the one that got the info in the first place.

"The code is…" she started, and recited the numbers to herself before relaying them to Squall, "5-7-7-9-7-3."

Squall input the code, and again, a small green light activated, signifying he had entered it correctly. Squall gave Rinoa a thumbs-up and looked to his left as the air blasted his face, finding Zell having and easy time handling the task.

Zell had an advantage in a few areas, being that he was wearing gloved and that Ifrit provided him enough physical strength to pull himself up and down without a problem. Squall could feel his right hand bleeding as he held tightly onto the cord, watching the red liquid from his closed hand run along the rusted cord and then fly away with the wind. The pain was secondary at that point though. One more code and they were home free.

"The last code is 0-7-3-1-4-6!" Rinoa shouted, Squall nodding just as Zell finished inputting the codes to uncouple the dummy car. Squall knew he had to hurry. He quickly pounded the numbers and hit enter, watching as a second green light lit and then beginning to flicker, indicating the uncoupling was about to commence.

"Done," Rinoa boomed with excitement, but with enough awareness to realize they needed to get back to the base before the switchpoint, which was less than forty seconds away, "Let's get out of here!"

Squall heard Rinoa's call, and began to force the handles upwards with all his remaining strength. He pushed up until he came to the windows, his feet standing against the dark glass. The handles stuck, not budging a bit as he pushed up with his scratched hands, knowing he was within plain view of whatever guards were inside the cabin.

As he continued his struggle with the handles, a sudden jolt of awareness shot through his mind, as if Quezacotl just unleashed a thunderstorm in his mind. Squall closed his eyes, now becoming completely aware of what was going on inside the cabin. He could sense on man off to the side, toying with some electronic equipment. There were two other men, both sitting at a table in the back of the room, playing cards or something.

And then, he could sense as a set of eyes began to look in his direction. It seemed the jig was up.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1735 hrs**

"What the…" Telek yelled as he jumped from his seat, throwing the deck of Triple Triad cards to the floor, and ran to the window.

"What is it?" Kojax questioned, picking up the cards from the floor.

"I thought I saw someone out here," Telek said as he continues his search, going from window to window. Kojax ran over to aide his subordinate, but saw nothing but passing landscapes.

"I don't see anything," he told Telek, chalking it up to his inexperience.

"I swore I…" Telek stated as he ran towards the door window, but was cut off by Cravens.

"You reject, you ain't Viper material," he stated with a laugh, "Hell, you ain't even G-Army material!"

"Fuck you Cravens!" Telek erupted, taking the two other soldiers off guard. Cravens had been cracking on him for the last three days, telling him he wasn't cut out for the job he was seeking, and Telek finally had enough.

"All you do is sit in front of a screen with your thumb up your ass, and you think you're tough shit!" Telek demanded and began to approach Cravens, before Kojax stepped in his way, ensuring the confrontation didn't come to blows.

"Stand down, Corporal!" Cravens ordered as he stood up, and pointed at the young soldier, "Cursing out a superior is punishable by brig time and garnishment of wages! You best show me some respect!"

"Respect is earned, not given!" Telek yelled back, still being restrained by Kojax.

"Why you…" Cravens muttered with raging eyes, and shot towards Telek. Kojax had enough, and stepped between the two, halting both in their tracks.

"Both of you, shut up! We have a job to do, and…" Kojax began, before a series of loud beeps interrupted. "What is that noise?" he asked, Cravens looking over to see the screen was divided into multiple sections, displaying the sound and temperature status.

"Sensors are back up," Cravens stated and ran back to his chair, observing the readings, "The heat sensor…actually both sensors are going nuts!" he told Kojax as he began to flip multiple switches, and enter commands via the keyboard. Kojax didn't know much about the equipment, but figured it was still malfunctioning.

"Probably just…" he began, before something perforated his peripheral vision, "…the hell?" he stammered, swearing to himself that he just saw a black pant-leg out of the door window. At first, he thought it may have just been a bird or even an aerial fiend flying past, but he was becoming suspicious, seeing as how the sensors picking up something. Kojax reached to his goggles, and adjusted the setting to heat vision; his jaw dropping as he saw the red outline of two figures on the roof.

Without warning he armed his assault rifle and began blasting shots through the roof, making both Telek and Craven jump in shock. He continued firing, watching as the enemies above moved across the roof, looking as if they were heading towards the car next to them. Kojax discontinued his fire and ran towards the door that separated the two lines. Trying to open it, the door wouldn't move, as if it had been locked from the outside. Kojax wasted no time in gunning down the door, and kicking it open, seeing thick chunks of ice on the broken down door.

Looking back up, he watched as an unknown car that was for some reason attached to theirs, uncoupled. He fired at the train taking out a few windows, but had no chance of doing much more than that. He watched as the train distanced itself, and then quickly turned down an opposite track, and soonafter disappeared behind the trees and tall shrubs in the near distance. Knowing the intruders had gotten away, the main priority now was the presidents safety.

Just then, a voice emitted from Kojax's earpiece, "Kojax, I thought I just heard gunfire," Sergeant Zane, who was aboard the other escort, questioned.

"Stop the train!" Kojax yelled as he ran towards the president's cabin, Telek and Cravens still in shock as to what was going on.

"What?" Zane shouted.

"Secure Red Baron, I repeat, secure Red Baron!" Kojax ordered, feeling as the train began to slow down abruptly. Without announcement, Kojax ran in, watching as Zane ran in from the other side.

"Mr. President?" Kojax called out.

"What now?" the president asked, as Zane looked around the room, as if something weren't right.

"We have a situation, we…" Kojax began, but was stopped by Deling, who hadn't taken his eyes off the newspaper.

"Let me guess," the president started, "There is someone unauthorized onboard?" Deling asked, Kojax shocked that the president knew, but didn't inform them.

"Yes, sir." Kojax confirmed and looked over to Zane, who was inspecting the cabin thoroughly.

"Well you don't have to worry," the president stated, turning Kojax's attention back to him, "They are no longer aboard this train."

Kojax nodded, "I know, but do you know where they are headed, Mr. President?" he asked.

"What I know is this…" the president started, Kojax freezing in anticipation, "They are on a runaway train with your beloved president!"

Kojax cocked his head, not sure what to make of the president's response.

"Sir?" he asked. Kojax then looked back as he heard heavy footsteps, watching as Zane nudged him away and ripped the newspaper from Deling's hands, which were still extended as if he were still reading it. A few short seconds later, Deling's head turned towards the two soldiers in robotic fashion, both soldier now aware that it was not the president sitting in front of them.

"Nice work, dipshits!" Dummy Deling said, as a demented clown laughter filled the room. Zane bit his lip in anger as the dummy chuckled at their grave mistake, pulled out a handgun, and took off the head with a single pull of the trigger, watching as wires and mechanisms from the head sparked and caught fire, melting the fake skin of the dummy. Zane looked over at Kojax as if he wanted to knock his teeth out, but that would have to wait until later.

"Get Dandridge on the line!" Zane demanded towards his subordinate, and went back inside his escort, slamming the door. Telek then walked inside the cabin, seeing the humanoid Deling melting before him.

"What's going to happen to us, Sergeant Kojax?" Telek asked.

He looked up, took a long breath, and answered, "Hope you like bread and water, kid."

Kojax kicked himself; had he trusted the young man in the first place, the whole debacle may have been avoided. Now, the rookie soldier was undoubtedly going to be punished for his mistakes. It was his fault for thinking that just because a kidnapping or assignation attempt hadn't happened in years that it wasn't going to happen on that day. He knew he deserved whatever he got for being so naïve, but Telek was the only one that seemed to be doing his job, and now his chances of ever being a Viper were all but over. Kojax consoled Telek with a pat on the back, being that the young man was on the brink on tears.

Still, Kojax couldn't help but wonder why security had been so lax this time, and it seemed as if it was setup of some sort. Either way, he knew he'd have plenty of time to think about it in his cold cell in D-District.

Sorry it took so long, but this was one of those chapters that I dreaded writing. It's not the easiest chapter to write, and I hope y'all liked it. Now, I can move on. Okay, let's roll!

* * *

**Inside Look**

I wanted this chapter to show just exactly how little the SeeD's had to work with in this mission, and I thing I didn't a decent job. Didn't really want any types of nifty gadgets and stuff for them to use. This isn't Mission: Impossible after all.

I change a lot of the stuff in this chapter so it fit better, don't know how well I did on that front, but let me know. Like I said, I hated writing this chapter. I still did my best though.

Any Seinfeld fans in the house? There were a few quotes from the show in here, just for comic relief.

Kojax and Telek have some extended parts in this story, they will be in a few of the coming chapters, and some later chapters. I kinda pictured Kojax to be somewhat of a Bruce Willis type character, that's why I like him.

**Prodigy's Corner**

**Kaiser**: Yes, I love that tension between Seifer and Xu, it's intense and comical all at once. I think we may just think alike, because there we're a lot of idea's I had that Greg put in _Gunblade_ that I was like "Whoa, we must think along the same lines!"

**Leonhart****-Zero**: Ha, guess you're a fan of Squall. Being that the majority of the coming chapters will be focusing on our introverted friend, I felt the need to give Seifer his dues, since he is an awesome character.

**Noacat**: Yes, every great police department has Murphy somewhere in the mix. Yes, Seifer really deserved it…not nearly enough of him in the game. Lotz more to come too!

**Dragonbait**: A new reviewer, always nice. I know, many grammar errors, stupid ones at that. But usually when I get finished with a chapter, I just wanna put it out, so I just skim over it and fix the mistakes I see, but there are always more. That's why I really need an editor.

**L.A**.: Oooh, a mystery reviewer! Thanks for the kind words, and I hope you enjoy what's to come!

So, like I've been saying, I'm getting out of the military soon, so I am going to be busy, but still expect a at least every 2 weeks until September. Chapter 12 should be out by next Friday. Until then, enjoy this one! Laters!

**_Prodigy_**


	15. Chapter XII: Facade

**Chapter XII**

**_Facade_**

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1601 hrs _Rewind_**

Dock Seven of the South Bay piers in Balamb City was a mess after the events that had transpired just over an hour earlier. The Fire Department had just finished extinguishing the flames that had burnt most of the hardware store and spread to one of the nearby markets. No one had been hurt, but SeeD's reputation would suffer thanks to Seifer's escape. Garden had a reputation for turning even the roughest hooligans into upstanding SeeD's, but Seifer had just revealed to all of Balamb that even Garden and SeeD's weren't perfect.

Cid had personally rushed down to the city upon receiving the news of what had happened, but due to the pandemonium Seifer had caused, it had taken almost an hour to get to Dock Seven. After swerving through a sea of people, cops and yellow tape, him and Master Chief Richter finally made it to the scene of the crime.

Walking down the pier, he surveyed the damage, shaking his head in disappointment that Seifer could go so far as to put innocent lives at risk. He spotted Xu at the far end of the pier, talking with a few of SeeD's from the retrieval team.

"Headmaster!" Xu called out after spotting her boss, and dismissed herself from the conversation.

"Xu, are you alright?" Cid asked after seeing Xu's hair and uniform were damp from her little swim.

"Yes, no one was seriously hurt," Xu started, but was cut off by the hardware store owner who overheard them.

"But, look at my store," he yelled and ran up towards Cid, "Look what he did to my store!" the man screamed, just before two SeeD's stepped in front of him, preventing him from getting any closer to the Headmaster.

"Garden will cover the damages sir," Cid responded sympathetically, and looked back at Xu, "Right now, though, that's the least of our concerns. Any clues of where he may be headed?"

"No," Xu replied after a brief pause, but her eyes shot open as she remembered something. She reached inside her polyester jacket, and handed a soggy, folded manila envelope to the Headmaster.

"He told me to make sure you got this." she finished, Cid confused as to what could be inside.

"Headmaster, maybe we should have someone look at that before you open it," Richter expressed his concerns to Cid, "It could be a bomb for all we know."

"No. I know Seifer," Cid replied, shaking his head. "That's not the way his mind works."

Richter nodded and steeped back as the Headmaster tore away the seal of the envelope. Reaching in, he felt only a single sheet of paper, and pulled it out. The ink had been smeared a bit due to the ocean water, but not enough to make it illegible.

"Of course," he muttered as he read it, and looked up at Xu, "How could I be so blind?"

"What is it, Headmaster?" she asked worriedly after noticing the Headmaster's restive expression.

Cid cursed himself mentally for not realizing Seifer's goal sooner, since after all, he was the one who helped him in the first place. Two weeks earlier, Seifer had submitted a request to speak to the Headmaster directly, refusing to talk to anyone but him. In most cases, he would've been turned away without a second thought, but Cid knew that if Seifer actually _wanted_ to speak with him, it had to be of significant importance.

He was reluctant at first after hearing what Seifer had to say. _A friend of his, that just so happened to be a member of a Timber freedom faction was in extreme need of SeeD's help_. Cid's mind had been made from the word go, knowing that even if he had approved it, the Garden faculty wouldn't feel the same. It wasn't until he met the young lady at the SeeD inauguration ball did his mind begin to change. She seemed so avid about returning Timber to its prosperous state that he decided to hear her out.

After hearing the plan in full, he knew he couldn't say no. A plan involving Deling being kidnapped certainly wouldn't fly with NORG, but knowing the pitiless bastard had his wife, Cid thought of it not only as a way of helping the Forest Owls, but as a way of getting answers as to the whereabouts of his wife. He had submitted a faulty request and had fought for it to be approved, and it was. Seifer himself wanted to go, but being that he was not a SeeD, it was out of the question.

Still, Cid knew that he should've realized that rules had never stood between Seifer and his objectives in the past.

"Xu, I need you to summon the Garden Board for an emergency meeting in the main conference room at 1800, right away!" Cid ordered.

"I'm on it!" Xu saluted, and headed off to carry out the order.

He knew he had to get a team over to Timber to stop Seifer from interfering, not sure of what he'd do if him and Deling crossed paths. He hated Deling, but needed him alive if he wanted to ensure the safety of his wife.

Realizing there was no time to lose, he waved Master Chief Richter on and started to head back towards the Garden vehicle, before hearing a rough voice call his name.

"Mr. Kramer?" Cid turned, watching as the man who called him approached, "Captain Murphy, Balamb PD. We need to talk."

Cid looked at his watch, "What is it Captain? I'm in a bit of a hurry."

"I need all the information you have on this Seifer punk!" Murphy demanded as he grinded his teeth. "We'll chase him around the world if we have to!"

"I appreciate your concern, but Garden can handle it from here on out." Cid assured the man, and began to turn, before feeling a hand wrap around his upper arm.

"I guess I'm not making myself clear," Murphy stated, getting into Cid's face, "He tried to kill my men, Mr. Kramer! I want his head!" the Captain demanded with an unsolicited rage.

Cid pulled his arm from Murphy's stubby fingers, not pleased with the police captain's threat.

"Now, let me making something clear!" Cid shot back, "If Seifer wanted to kill your men, he would have. He knew what he was doing."

"Of course," Murphy answered, "Using those sacrilegious Guardian Force's, he tried to freeze us to death with that black magic you SeeD's use!" he yelled, causing members of Balamb PD and SeeD alike to look over.

"And gathering from what witnesses told us, that wasn't until you fired upon him!" Richter rejoined, irritated that Murphy had discounted what he had asked of him earlier.

"So?" Murphy shrugged, under the impression he did nothing wrong.

"I specifically told you to stall him until SeeD arrived!" Richter replied.

"Let's get one thing straight," Murphy answered loudly, taking another step closer to Richter and the Headmaster, and pointed to the Balamb PD badge that he wore around his neck.

"You see this badge? That means I'm the man around these parts! I don't work for you, or you!" he yelled, pointing at Richter and then Cid, "So I recommend next time something like this happens, you get here sooner, or I won't think twice about pulling the trigger again!" Murphy finished and turned, walking toward the squad car to the side

"Then I recommend that the next time you _do_ fire at one of my men…" Cid shouted back as he followed him up to the door of the car. Just as Murphy opened the door, he watched a hand slam it shut, and looked up to see the irate Headmaster glaring at him.

"…You save a bullet for me!" the Headmaster suggested crudely and turned, heading back up the pier with Master Chief, leaving the top dog of the Balamb police department with something to think about.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1737 hrs**

The hijacking aspect of the mission had been a success, but the journey was far from over. Now came the hard part of getting Deling to cooperate.

Climbing back in, Squall closed the hatch and locked it as he entered last, jumping of ladder and landing unsteadily on his feet. The wind gusting speedily at him and the close encounter they just survived had sent Squall's into a vertiginous daze, not to mention the loss of blood. He immediately lifted his arm, looking on the floor where a red puddle had begun to form from the trickles of blood that dripped from his forearm. Though, he knew it was small price to pay rather than being caught.

_Quezacotl__ had warned him of the guard's awareness, and Squall looked up, somehow seeing translucently through the train's metal exterior. Upon spotting the guard, Squall spun off to the side between the lines of the two cars, the rusted wire of the rappelling belt coiled around his forearm as he hung there, digging in and tearing away more skin with each passing moment. Upon spotting the door, he gathered enough common sense to use his icy magic to freeze the door shut in case any of the guards were to try to step out. Once realizing the coast was clear, he spun back and quickly pulled himself back to the top, but not without first being detected_. They managed to pull away without being caught, but Squall cussed himself for not being more careful.

"Squall," Zell's voice called out, interrupting his thought, "You hurt man?"

"I'll live," Squall nodded and looked back to his torn arm, knowing he needed to attend to it. Rinoa, who hadn't noticed immediately due to the rush, caught a glimpse of the bloody gashes that covered his forearm.

"Oh Hyne!" she shouted, almost in tears of how painful it looked, "Watts, get the med-kit!"

"That isn't necessary," Squall stopped Watts, causing Rinoa's eyes to widen.

Having surveyed the injury, he knew that it was within the healing boundaries of curative magic. He rested his left hand on his torn right forearm as a multihued glow stemmed from his fingertips, and began to flow over his arm and gather towards the lacerations, slowly regenerating skin and tissue. Squall breathed in as the tickling pain ran through his arm, and pulled his arm away once feeling his injuries were healed.

"Wow…" Rinoa muttered in sheer amazement.

"Well then," Zone stated after a moment, recapturing Rinoa's attention. "I guess it's about time."

Rinoa nodded with a smile as she turned, looking at the door that led into Deling's car. "Finally. We've waited so long for a confrontation with that sleaze! Vinzer Deling will always remember the Forest Owls!" she exclaimed, but it there obvious traces of apprehension in her voice.

_Fear of the unknown_ was how it was commonly referred to, since even Squall and his team had no idea of what to expect.

"I think it's best if Zone and I stay out here," Watts stated to Squall, who shook his head.

"So, you'll just sit by while we do your dirty work?" Squall questioned calmly, yet firmly.

"We are not fighters, sir." Watts responded.

"He's right," Zone cut in, backing up Watts, "As much as I am ashamed to admit it, we are just the brains. We hired you as the brawn."

Although a bit put out by their cowardice, he realized that _not everyone was a soldier. Not everyone was taught how to take town six armed men with a ballpoint pen. Not everyone was taught how to infiltrate a maximum-security facility without being detected. Not everyone was trained to be a contract killer_, but that was all he knew.

It was his duty. It was his life.

"I'm going," Rinoa stated out of the blue, startling both Zone and Watts.

"But princess…" Watts began, not sure of what to say.

"One of us has to be there, and I'm glad it's me. We've worked too hard and have come too far just to back off now," she stated in an attempt to calm Watts, and also Zone who seemed concerned, "It'll be alright."

"Damn!" Zone suddenly cried out, pulling out his antacid and took a gulp in an attempt at calming his ulcers. Rinoa shook her head, and looked over at Squall, mentally giving him the go ahead. Squall nodded and looked to his team.

"Be ready for anything," Squall told them, knowing that Deling may have had a personal firearm, or that his bodyguard may be inside with him.

Squall slowly opened the door, scanning every corner to see who was in the room. The president was standing by the liquor cabinet, pouring himself a glass of aged scotch. The cabin was a lot more stylish than the dummy car, and Squall was quite surprised at how the guards didn't catch it. It wasn't that it wasn't good enough to fool someone, but not a soldier whose job it was to detect such discrepancies.

Squall walked in slowly, hand ready to draw his gunblade at any given moment. He waved in his team and Rinoa, standing just behind Deling as he stood at the cabinet, with his cigar in one hand and scotch in the other. Squall looked over and gave the nod to Rinoa to announce their presence.

"President Deling!" Rinoa called out, watching as Deling's head rose.

"I told you numbskulls…" he began as he turned, coming to realize that these were not his own men, "What the…who the hell are you?"

Squall motioned to Zell for him to search Deling's person, complying as he immediately patted down every square inch of his body, the president not budging in the slightest as he did so. Once confirming Deling was unarmed, Zell gave Squall a thumbs-up.

"Vinzer Deling, as a representative of the Forest Owls and the Republic of Timber, we are hereby taking you into our custody!" Rinoa stated.

"Is that right?" Deling questioned with the cigar in his mouth in a casual tone.

"As long as you don't resist…you won't get hurt." Rinoa informed him and he began to chuckle, inexplicably.

"And if I do resist," Deling began, taking the cigar from his mouth and blowing the smoke towards the group, "What would you do…young lady?" he asked, seemingly dauntless to the threat they posed. Rinoa took a step back, feeling as if something weren't right.

"What's wrong?" Squall questioned, Rinoa looking up, eyes conveying diffidence over the entire situation. Rinoa was under the impression that Deling would crumble in fear, but it seemed just the opposite.

He looked almost _happy_ to see them.

"Oh boy, I really didn't think I was going to have any fun on this little mission, but I guess I was wrong." Deling stated with a chuckle, Squall and his group now aware as to why Rinoa seemed so puzzled.

_Mission…what the hell was he talking about?_

"In case you haven't figured it out by now, I'm not the president!" the man before them stated, confirming what all four of them had been suspecting.

The mysterious man chugged the remains of scotch and tossed the glass off to the side, which shattered into sharp shards as it met the wall. Squall and Selphie drew their weapons and Zell raised his gloved hands, prepared to defend themselves if the man attacked. He laughed in response, and flung his lit cigar at the group, who dodged it and looked back to the fake Deling.

"You can call me…Mr. Jagger!" he stated, revealing his true identity.

"Jagger?" Rinoa questioned, her nightmare taking human form right in front of her.

"So, you've heard of me?" he asked with imitated flattery.

"But, you look just like him." Rinoa stammered shockingly. He did look exactly like the president, but the fact remained, he wasn't.

Jagger laughed and began to remove his suit jacket, "Isn't technology wonderful? All these resistance groups in Timber; planning and plotting against the president, trying to be heroes! Pass along a little false information, and they fall for it!" he poked fun at the group standing before him.

"How pathetic! Seems like there are only amateurs around here!"

"Ama-teurs…" Rinoa repeated, not wanting to admit he was right.

They had fell for a trap that had specifically designed for the likes of them. There had been small mistakes all along that they had been able to get away with, but this mistake was cataclysmic, one that could very well cost them their lives.

"Ahh, my ass hurts from all this sitting!" Jagger complained, cracking various joints and stretching, "I'm curious, what did you have in store for me if I had resisted? Why don't you tell me?" he growled, lunging towards Rinoa, causing her to jump backwards in fright. Jagger laughed hysterically just as Zell stepped in front.

"Back off psycho, before you get backhanded!" Zell demanded.

"I'm trembling!" Jagger mocked, and spotted the SeeD pin on Zell's jacket, "SeeD's huh? Ha, you don't look so tough!"

Squall, who was tired of the pointless jabber, stepped forth, "I'm only going to ask this once," he stated, deathly serious. "If you're not the real president, then where is he?"

"All you need to know is he's safe, and will continue on his plan of action, uninterrupted." Jagger demanded, and quickly ripped open the button down shirt and tore it off, revealing his muscular arms, which were covered in tattoos depicting death and demons.

"As for you, I'm going to show you what true pain really is. These coming moments will be a glimpse of heaven compared to the suffering your future holds!" Jagger threatened, pissing Zell off to no end.

Without warning he dashed forward, engaging battle with the bloodthirsty killer.

"Zell!" Squall yelled, but the words did nothing except break the silence.

Zell ran in with a right jab and followed immediately with a left haymaker, missing both times. Spinning around, Zell followed up with a spinning backhand, which was caught by Jagger. Zell performed a backflip and attempted to kick out Jagger's legs, but missed as Jagger jumped with his hand still tightened around Zell's wrist and pulled him forth, landing a jumping sidekick into Zell's left cheek.

The blonde stumbled back, looking up to see Jagger punching at him. He managed to block the first and even a second jab, but Jagger took over with a series of quick hand movements, landing three hard blows to both sides of Zell's head, finishing him as he grabbed the back of the SeeD's head, pulled him forth, and landed a big knee into Zell's face. Jagger tossed Zell's limp body back over to the group, and smirked at them.

Rinoa started to dash forth to help Zell, but Selphie stopped her. It was obvious that Jagger was extremely well trained, and Squall knew that it wasn't worth the risk to try to take Jagger on toe to toe. Deling was the one they needed, Jagger however, was expendable. Squall stepped forth, attempting to cast a thunder spell at the man, watching as small sparks encircled his hand, but faded away into bluish electric particles. Somehow, his magic had been stifled.

"Don't bother!" Jagger yelled, "Your magic is worthless in here!"

_Things just went from bad to worse_. Squall knew that they now had no choice but to physically take down Jagger, and judging by how easily he had taken down an experienced brawler such as Zell, knew they might have been in over their heads.

Selphie tended to Zell and managed to get him on his feet, eyebrow busted open and bleeding fast. Zell downed a potion that slowed the bleeding, but did not completely heal the gash.

"Tango-Eight Eight Tripod positions!" Squall yelled as Zell and Selphie formed a triangle with Squall, surrounding Jagger. If they were to beat Jagger, it was going to have to be as a team.

"Attack!" Squall yelled as all three charged in, Jagger not intimidated in the least.

Squall came in first, missing with his gunblade as he slashed across, feeling as Jagger elbowed him in the side, and watching as he caught Selphie in the nose with a left jab. Squall rose, throwing two swift back elbows, which were blocked again, and prepared to stab forth with his blade. Jagger blocked the impending strike with his foot, and then used the same foot to deliver a punishing roundhouse to Squall's face.

Zell came in as Squall fell and punched forth several times, all being blocked and dexterously avoided by the agile bodyguard. Zell then punched forth with both hands at once, but Jagger countered by catching his wrists and twisting them up, causing Zell to scream in pain. Jagger delivered a swift back kick as he heard Selphie approaching, which caused her to fly back and hit the ground hard. Jagger finished off Zell by pulling him forth, smashing his face with a malicious head butt, and shoving him to the ground with his friends.

Jagger laughed as he looked up at the terrified Rinoa, and lured her forth, "Come on, baby. Daddy's got a treat!" he suggestively stated, pumping his hips. She backed up as he approached, scared to death.

Just as Jagger closed in on her, a voice rang out.

"You crazy fuck!" Jagger looked over to see a bloodied Zell standing before him, screaming in rage, "Let's dance!"

Jagger obliged, determined to end the brawler's life in round three of their little quarrel. As he approached, something seemed different in the SeeD he had beaten twice before. His irises glowed with a golden tint, a gleam that portrayed a mix of hopeless desperation and supreme rage fused with the power of an unknown force.

Had he known more about SeeD, he might have known that Zell had reached his Limit.

And at the time, was not one to be fucked with.

Unaware of Zell's state, Jagger ran forth and threw a straight jab, which landed dead center into Zell's palm. Zell squeezed with inhuman strength, Jagger grimacing as he felt the small bones in his hand crack within Zell's clutch. Jagger dismissed the pain a kicked forth, and Zell caught his leg, and let go of his hand.

Zell then delivered a sharp uppercut to Jagger's chin which lifted him in the air, and began throwing consecutive uppercuts to his midsection, Jagger not touching the floor once as Zell's blows kept him hanging in the air. Zell threw one last devastating uppercut that tossed Jagger's now beaten and bruised body in the air and jumped, spinning around and snapping his leg forth, landing a kick into Jagger's chest. His body sailed through the air until slamming into the reinforced wall, coughing up blood as his body fell to the ground.

As the Limit faded, Zell's knees hit the floor as he breathed heavily, blood still dripping from his face. Selphie and Squall, who were still recovering from the fight walked over to Zell and helped him to his feet. Zell had proven to be a valuable member of his team, contrary to Squall's initial feeling for having him as support for the mission. Rinoa then walked up beside them, all injured in one way or another. Tears came to her eyes, not at all used to such violence in her life. She had witnessed first hand what it was like to be a SeeD.

Looking over, they watched as Jagger stood up and walked toward them ever so slowly. Jagger tore off his undershirt, looking at his chest and abdomen, which had blackened imprints of Zell's metal knuckle plate scattered around his midsection.

"I've grown weary of these games!" Jagger shouted, reaching into his pocket, and pulling out a vile of blue liquid, "Time to die SeeD's! This new steroid will enable me to rip each of you apart limb from limb! Cheers!" he stated and downed the contents of the vile, threw it to the floor and wiped his mouth. The four backed up, waiting to see exactly what effects the serum had on Jagger.

Just as Squall prepared to square away for another, Jagger stopped, a morose gaze masking his surgically-altered face. His body began convulsing, his head bobbing forth, looking as if he were about to heave. His bodily quakes became more intense, his neck straining to a point where thick blue veins were perfectly visible and his eyes became more bloodshot red with each passing second. Moments later, Jagger coughed, black tar-like sludge secreted from his throat and sprayed through the air. Jagger stood up with wobbly feet, screaming horrifically as his skin turned sepulchral white, with streaks of black and dark blue running along his body.

"Oh Hyne, the pain!" he cried as he dragged his body forth, "They…LiEd tO me! KiLL mE, plEaSe!" he screamed, his voice fading into a demonic recess as he gurgled on the black blood.

A glowing lump began to balloon out from its side just as his eyes fogged over with a doomful black. The left side of its neck began to merge with the side of its face, a rubbery flap of loose flesh connecting both. The hair on his head began to fall out rapidly as the head grew, and the suit pants began to rip off as the legs grew, particularly the left leg, which swelled to massive proportions. The left arm and hand did the same, mutating into a huge freakish claw, which could crush a man with a single pump. Its spine became crooked and extended out the top of its neck, causing it to lurch awkwardly.

The end result was a contorted malformed monster with slick pale white skin, long black claws, and a bloated protuberance that glowed blue and throbbed like a pumping heart.

There stood the new enemy.

"What…is that?" Rinoa asked in shock.

"Get in the corner Rinoa!" Squall insisted, knowing she wasn't safe out in the open.

"But…"

"Go!" he ordered. He didn't want to sound mean, but she needed to realize the severity of the situation. Squall didn't have a clue as it to what it was, which made it all the more dangerous, and not being able to use para-magic certainly didn't improve their chances.

Rinoa took cover underneath the table, peeking out behind the white tablecloth and watching what took place. Squall turned back to see the mutant's huge hand swiping at him, jumping back and barely dodging it. Selphie spun around twice, building momentum and finally swung her nanchakus, the hard wooden stick slamming into the side the monster. The monster merely looked at her, grabbed one of the heavy golden statues with its huge hand and heaved it at her, Selphie diving out of the way of the darting sculpture as it crashed into the wall.

"We need to attack the growth!" Squall yelled, identifying it as its only possible weakness. "You two try and draw its attention, I'll attack it!" he finished.

Zell and Selphie each took a different side, and charged in. The monster swung its normal right arm as Zell came in and ducked under, and began slamming hard fists into the midsection of the mutant.

Selphie attacked next, her nanchaku slamming into the left side of its head, causing it to scream, not in pain, but in anger. The monster retaliated soon after, grabbing Zell by the throat with its right arm and raising him in the air. The huge left hand wrapped around Selphie's slender arms and squeezed, the only thing keeping her from death's hand was Siren. She couldn't breath or move an inch, and thus was hopeless on her own.

"Help…" she managed to gasp out, but felt as Siren's protective power began to fade, and her own body began taking more of the damage.

Squall knew Selphie was a goner if he didn't interject, so he charged forth, eyes dead set on the bluish growth. Upon noticing Squall approaching, the monster threw Zell across the room, slamming him into one of the tinted windows, cracking it. Squall held his blade behind him as he charged in, the mutant merely waiting for the aggressor to strike. Once within striking distance, Squall stabbed forth, jabbing straight through the abdomen. The monster looked down at Squall with its sinister eyes, not showing any signs of pain or injury. Squall knew it wouldn't do much, but hoped at the very least it would be enough to free Selphie.

Seeing that the monster was unaffected by the blade, Squall began pulling back the trigger, sending concussive rounds through the belly of the beast, the shells tearing straight through as mangled organs and black blood spurted from the back of the monster. It wasn't until Squall pulled the trigger four times did the monster react, spitting a black mist into Squall's face.

His world tuned dark as he pulled his blade out, not sure of where he was. The monster had blinded him, and threw his other senses out control. He knelt on the ground, feeling dizzy as if he had also been poisoned. He couldn't see or think straight at the moment, which gave the monster the opening it needed to finish him off.

The mutant raised it enormous leg, planning to stomp the life out of the blinded SeeD. As the huge leg came down, Zell reentered the fight, catching the leg utilizing Ifrit's strength. Quickly, he let go of the leg and ran to the bluish growth, punching it fiercely as he tried to bust it open. The beast really seemed to dislike that, and backhanded Zell with the same huge left hand that Selphie was being crushed with.

Squall finally managed to get his bearing back and quickly took an antidote and sprayed his eyes with the eye drops. They took a few seconds to take effect, but soon after his vision was restored, opening his eyes to see Zell lying just ahead of him, rubbing his head.

From behind, Squall could hear a drooling breath looming over him, but before he could turn and slash, felt as the giant leg kicked him across the room, right next to Zell. Squall slowly stood up and turned, watching as the mutant gazed at Selphie, watching as her soul slowly drifted from her body.

"Nothing's working!" Zell yelled frantically from the ground, he too worried about his fellow SeeD.

Selphie, who was beginning to lose consciousness, managed to wiggle one of her slender arms free. She knew she needed more time to enable Squall and Zell to help her, so she pulled a potion from her belt, and popped open the capsule, pouring the liquid into her mouth.

Noticing this, the monster squeezed Selphie harder before she could swallow, causing her to gag, and the potion to spray from her mouth into the face of the mutant. Almost immediately, the monster released its grip on Selphie as she fell to the ground, gasping in as much air as she could take.

Squall and Zell ran over to help their fallen comrade, who was still having problems breathing. Zell opened two potions, and poured them into her mouth. Looking up, Squall watched as the monster wallowed in pain, its face smoking as if sulfuric acid had melted its skin.

Just then, a bulb lit in Squall's mind, a useless piece of information from his first year of fiend study four years earlier. At least, he thought it was useless until that exact moment in time. Squall studied the monster more carefully as it continued to writhe in agony.

_The black splotches…the thick blue veins…the darkened eyes…the pale cadaverous skin… _

"That's it!" Squall yelled, now knowing exactly what needed to be done.

"What?" Zell asked, watching Squall reached into his side pouch and pull out a blue flask he knew was holy water. SeeD's carried holy water mainly for the reason of final blessings in case a SeeD were to lose their life in the line of duty, but Squall had a different use for it.

"Squall, come on man!" Zell shouted as the mutant regained its composure and began to approach again, "I mean, things are lookin' grim, but we're not dead yet!"

Squall looked over at Zell who was obviously not aware of his plans, and proceeded to pull the cap off with his teeth, and splash the blessed waters along the length of his blade. He looked up at the monster, its mouth drooling black goo as it stumbled forth, glaring at Squall with its lifeless eyes.

Squall began an assault, this time hopeful that he had the upper hand. He charged in with Quezacotl's speed, easily dodging a monstrous swipe from the mutant's gigantic hand. Squall ran to its exposed right side, slashing up, watching as the blade which was doused in holy water cut easily through the flesh, the slimy skin melting off its body and dripping to the ground with the black plasma.

The monster let out a vociferous shriek and swung with its right arm, missing Squall completely, feeling as the blade tore threw its side four more times. Squall did a side roll to his right, coming face to face with to pulsing growth. Just as he prepared to sink his cold blade into it, the furious monster grabbed Squall with is huge hand, preparing to squeeze the life out of Squall as it did to Selphie.

Unlike her though, Squall had a free hand, which just so happened to be holding a half-full flask of holy water. The monster began to squeeze, but Squall wasted no time at all in tossing the water into the wide open mouth of the mutant. Within seconds, it dropped Squall to the floor, crying out in hellish torment as the holy water ran through its insides. Various dark crevasses began to open up around its body, the dark sludge spurting out of each and every opening.

Squall stood to his feet, watching as the mutant weakly tried to swing, but couldn't lift either arm high enough to hit him. Squall raised his blade and leveled it parallel to the growth, before driving his elbow forward, plunging the blade into it. The screaming mutant went completely silent, knowing its afterlife was at an end. Its eyes widened as its body shivered, and the growth, as well the swollen arm and leg, shrunk.

In the end, Jagger's body, naked, colorless and deformed, laid sprawled across the floor, while his soul rotted in hell where it belonged.

The three stood next to each other over Jagger's marred corpse, happy that they had come out alive. Still, Zell wasn't quite sure what just happened.

"How the hell?" he asked, just as Rinoa crawled out from underneath the table, and walked up, grossed out after getting a close up of what was left of Jagger.

Squall took a deep breath, "It was an Ectomortal," he answered. Zell paused for a moment, until finally realizing why the holy water and potion hurt the monster.

"What the heck is an Ectomortal?" Rinoa questioned.

"Most people would call it a 'zombie'," Zell told her, using the term she would understand, and one he was more familiar with from his movies and comic books.

"Whatever he drank killed him, but his body and mind continued without a soul." Squall explained.

"Come on," Rinoa began, thinking they were leading her on, "A zombie? What am I, twelve? I don't buy it."

"You don't have to 'buy it'." Squall told her, and turned away, "It's over, let's just move on." he stated and headed towards the door to the Forest Owls car. Rinoa looked over at Zell for answers, but he merely shrugged and followed Squall and Selphie out, leaving Rinoa in a world of confusion. She looked at Jagger's corpse one last time, quivered at the sight, and headed for the door.

"What happened, where's Deling?" Zone questioned as Squall walked through the door of the strategy room, followed by the other three.

"Dead," Zell answered, rubbing his eyebrow which was still bleeding.

"You killed him? That wasn't the plan!" Zone demanded as all three SeeD's flopped on the floor, weary from battle. "Is that all you know is violence? We wanted to scare him, not kill him!" Zone finished, yelling at Squall who didn't seem to care about what Zone had to say.

"Zone, it was Jagger, cloned to look like Deling," Rinoa intervened, "They were prepared for us. I can't believe we fell for it!" she shouted, upset with herself and her team.

"So then, if that wasn't Deling, where is he?" Zone questioned in confusion, no one there having an answer.

"I think I can answer that one!" a voice answered from the doorway, everyone looking up to see Watts with a smile on his face.

"You know where he is, Watts?" Zone inquired as the hippy trotted into the room.

"I don't know where exactly, but I found out why he's coming here!" he boomed, "Apparently he has some big announcement, so he is coming to the TV station here to do it live, tomorrow!"

"The TV Station?" Rinoa questioned with her hands on her hips, "Why are they coming all the way to Timber to use the TV station, when they can broadcast just as easily from Deling City? I mean, there are at least five national TV stations that broadcast from the capital!"

"Wait a minute," Selphie held up a hand, sounding as if she had something important to say, "Do you think the Dollet communication tower has anything to do with it?" she asked, looking over to see what Squall and Zell thought.

"What's that?" Watts asked.

"Dollet has a communication tower that can transmit and receive radio waves," Squall explained, "It had been abandoned for a long time, but the Galbadian Army got it up and running last Thursday."

"Does this make any sense to anyone?" Selphie asked after a brief pause. After a few moments of silence, Zone's head shot up.

"Oh, I get it!" he jived, everyone waiting to hear his theory. "The only TV station that can handle satellite broadcasts over the air is in Timber. Other stations use HD cable, which only supports online broadcasting."

"So, what's that supposed to mean?" Rinoa asked.

"They're planning on using radio waves," Zone answered, "This way, they can transmit images to regions without cable."

"I know that…" Rinoa replied, "What I want to know is, what will the president be broadcasting? If he's using radio waves, there must be something he wants to say to the whole world, but what?"

Selphie smiled and raised her arms, "Everybody…love and peace!" she stated in a manly voice, obviously mimicking Deling.

Zone grinned, "Not likely," he replied. "If I remember correctly, radio waves haven't been used in seventeen years."

"It's been that long?" Rinoa questioned, and Zone nodded. Squall could tell Rinoa had something on her mind as her eyes rolled up, entertaining the thoughts in her head.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if the first broadcast could be the declaration of Timber's independence?" she blared eagerly, Zone and Watts' eyes lighting up with the suggestion.

"Hey, that could work!" Zone answered with a fast nod.

"We just need to figure out a way to pull it off," she told Zone and Watts, and looked over to Squall, "Can you give us a few minutes?" she asked.

Squall's eyes narrowed and he slowly nodded, not sure of what she had in mind, but apparently didn't want the SeeD's inputs. Not that he cared, but if they weren't needed any longer, he wanted to go back home.

Rinoa, Zone and Watts walked off to the far end of the room, glancing back and looking, as if making sure the SeeD's weren't being nosy. They all sat on the floor with their legs folded, leaning in towards each other as if they were children telling ghost stories.

"What the hell are they doing?" Zell asked annoyingly.

"That isn't very professional," Selphie added, as Zell and Squall concurred.

"I mean, come on! This is ridiculous," Zell stated, pointing over at the Owls. "We did our part, can't we leave now?" Zell questioned, Squall wandering the same thing, but knew it wasn't as easy as picking up and leaving.

Just as Squall stood up, Rinoa and her group walked back over, "Okay, we've got a plan!" she jived, and turned to Zone, asking him a question.

"Must be a helluva plan," Zell whispered to his fellow SeeD's, "I've taken pisses that lasted longer than that." Zell cracked, causing Selphie burst out in laughter. The three members of the Forest Owls all looked to her, wondering what was so humorous, but chances were, they wouldn't have found it so funny.

"Before we get into that," Squall stopped her, "I want to see your contract with our Garden." he insisted.

"Oh…sure," Rinoa complied, walking over and opening the top drawer of the old filing cabinet, pulling out a file labeled SeeD in thick black marker. She fingered through the pages until finally coming to the contract and handing it to Squall.

"I'm surprised the details haven't already been explained to you," she stated with a curious eye.

"Me and you both," he answered, and began reading.

"What's it say?" Zell asked, as he and Selphie listened. Squall began jumping lines as he glanced over the supererogatory contract, which was overflowing with useless information.

_"__Balamb__Garden__ acknowledges the __Forest__ Owls…SeeD shall be dispatched…SeeD shall work under…" _he read, until getting aggravated with the verbose language._ "_…what the hell is this?"

"Oh, that ones sort of confusing…" Rinoa answered, and again scrolled through the file, this time pulling out a single sheet of white paper, "…so Cid gave me a different one. He's such a nice man." she stated, handing the paper over to Squall. He swiped the paper from her hand and gave her a look, pondering why she didn't give him that one to begin with.

"What's it say this time?" Zell inquired, as he and Selphie looked over their squad leader's shoulder, and read along…

**

* * *

**

_To the __Forest__ Owls,_

_This is a SeeD deployment contract. The details of this contract are as follows:_

Three SeeD members will be assigned to this particular mission, and will assist your faction until your task of reclaiming Timber's independence is achieved. Please make good use of each SeeD member's abilities. I wish the best to you on your objective. Please understand that this contract is an exception, and that no replacement of any SeeD members may be made.

_Balamb__Garden__ Headmaster,_

_Cid Kramer_

**

* * *

**

"Until Timber's independence?" Zell argued.

"That is _so_ vague!" Selphie added, emphasizing her point.

Rinoa walked up and took the personalized contract from Squall's hand, "Hey, you're paid professionals. No complaining!"

"She's right though, there are no real specifics as far as mission details." Squall stated, "I can't say I'm surprised though."

"Oh, why is that?" Rinoa questioned, but Squall didn't feel like discussing his frustrations over the mission with her.

"Nevermind," he answered.

"Well, we'll explain our plan to you guys later," Rinoa stated, as her, Zone and Watts walked past the SeeD's, towards the door, "We will be back in Timber in the next hour. Until then, just relax." she finished.

"Word has probably reached Deling about this little debacle," Squall noted, "Security will be tight."

"No doubt!" Zell agreed, not looking forward to the multitude of blue suits that would undoubtedly be scouring the streets.

"Well, we have no choice. Besides, that's what you're here for," Rinoa stated as she opened the door, "Right?" she asked, not even waiting for an answer as she left the room to the three SeeD's.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1802 hrs**

Inside the main conference room, the emergency meeting of the Garden Board was about to commence. The Garden Board consisted of three members of the Garden faculty, the twelve highest ranking members of the SeeD force, and of course, Headmaster Kramer, who hadn't yet arrived. He had been so bogged down with paperwork since Seifer's escape that he lost track of time, which was understandable.

Minutes later, Cid walked in unannounced, beginning his speech before anyone was even aware he had arrived, "Firstly, I want to apologize for calling you all here on such short notice," he stated as the SeeD's began to stand out of respect, but Cid gestured them to sit back down with his hand, "but we have a crisis and I fear for the worst if we don't take immediate action."

"What is the problem, Headmaster?" SeeD General McCray questioned.

"As many of you already know, we had a cadet escape the correctional facilities earlier today," Cid explained and motioned to Xu to kill the lights, and activate the holographic projector that was placed in the center of the long table. Xu typed in a command on her handheld controlling device and brought up a three dimensional illustration of Seifer and his information.

"Cadet Seifer Almasy. Some of you know who he is, and are aware of what he is capable of. I believe he is headed to Timber, where I just received word President Deling will be making an announcement tomorrow on live television." Cid finished.

"Headmaster, is there some type of connection between these two?" SeeD General Croix questioned, leaning forward in his chair. "Do you believe Cadet Almasy is planning to harm Deling?"

Cid looked over to Croix and then to the Garden faculty, all three listening intently for the Headmaster's reply. Giving the truthful answer would prove to the Garden faculty and to NORG that he had indeed endorsed a request under false pretenses. He was optimistic that Squall and his team were successful in executing the plan, and could intercept Seifer or stop him from doing anything brash.

Cid had questions for Deling, and he was of no use to him dead.

"I don't know," Cid answered, not particularly fond of lying to his men, but knew it had to be done. "What I do know is that I do not want to see him die at the hands of the presidents men. There are G-Army troops scattered through Timber, and I'm sure you all know that they don't look kindly on us." Cid explained and took a deep breath.

"What Seifer has done is wrong, I can't argue that, but he doesn't deserve to die." He finished, hoping the board would feel the same way.

"So," SeeD General Kailee Ardenez began, "What's your plan Headmaster?" she asked, all the other SeeD's looking as if they too were on board.

Cid smiled, "I want fifteen experienced SeeD's deployed, ready to go through Deling's men if need be. I would like a peaceful resolve, but knowing the relationship between Balamb Garden and the G-Army, I am afraid that may be out of the question."

"Headmaster, that is ridiculous!" NORG's main representative shot out of his chair, "Fifteen SeeD's, all for a cadet who has been causing problems since the day he arrived? I understand your concern, but Almasy's life is not worth that much."

"I make that decision, not you!" Cid demanded, ripping the glasses off his face and staring furiously at the faculty member, "I will not put a price tag on the life of any of my men, and neither will you!" he shouted, pointing a finger at NORG's rep.

"The Garden Faculty will not approve such a request!" he informed Cid.

"Then I guess the Garden Faculty will not be involved!" he shot back, the SeeD's in the room conversing amongst each other as the Headmaster and the faculty stared each other down.

"People, people, calm yourselves!" a voice stated from the doorway, the SeeD's in attendance darting to attention after seeing who had entered.

"Good evening, Headmaster. I sense something is amidst?" the man wearing a highly decorated SeeD uniform asked. He stood a few inches over six feet, with balding brown hair, and dark brown eyes, looking over the members of the Garden Board.

"Commander Brak, how was Dollet?" Cid asked as the man walked the length of the table and up to Cid, shaking his hand.

SeeD Commander Jeseph Brak, the highest ranking member of the SeeD force, had just returned from a three month hiatus. He had been meeting with the leaders of various countries, finding out exactly where Garden's allies lied. Most recently he had visited Dollet, which had been in a state of emergency since the G-Army invaded the week prior. He had been hand picked by NORG six years earlier to be the Chief of SeeD Operations, which is probably why Cid never particularly cared for him.

"Still in shambles, but they'll be alright." Brak answered, "What did I miss?"

Cid gave Brak a complete summary of the situation at hand, from what Seifer had done, to where he was headed.

"Commander, there is no way we can authorize this," NORG's rep insisted, "surely you agree?" he asked, as Brak nodded.

"I see why you and the Garden faculty oppose this, but the Headmaster is right." Brak replied, much to the chagrin of the Garden faculty, "This cadet is obviously very troubled, and needs our help."

"But Commander…" the faculty member pleaded.

"Please, if you will?" Brak asked for them to bear with him, and the faculty member sat.

"How about this? Ten SeeD's under my personal supervision. We leave early tomorrow morning so that we can arrive a few hours before the president's air time, and ensure that Almasy doesn't try to attack him."

"My concern isn't for Deling, it's Seifer I'm worried about," Cid told Brak, "We need someone over there right away!"

"If we move too soon, Headmaster, we risk alerting the G-Army and the president's security, and as you said, they don't care much for us. Now, if they traveled by chocobo as you said, they will not arrive until sometime tomorrow morning. If we get in and get out as fast as possible, we minimize putting them on full alert, thus increasing Almasy's chance of coming back here alive." Brak explained to Cid, who was considering the idea.

"Would the Garden Faculty approve of that?" Brak then asked, looking over to the trio of faculty members. They quietly discussed the Commander's suggestion for almost two minutes, before NORG's main rep stood, and replied.

"We'd still have to discuss it further, but it seems a bit more reasonable," he stated, bringing a smile to Brak's face.

"Headmaster?" Brak turned to Cid, who slowly nodded, still seeming unsure. "Then it's settled! Would you like me to arrange the details Headmaster?"

"Yes, have it on my desk before 2000." Cid replied as he walked towards the door quickly, "Dismissed," he stated, quickly exiting the room as if he suddenly remembered something he forgot to do.

The twelve SeeD's filed out of the room slowly, with Commander Brak staying behind, closing the door to the conference room as two faculty members and the last SeeD exited.

"Master NORG isn't going to like this, Commander!" NORG primary rep told Brak, who chuckled menacingly.

"Well, you just tell him that I don't intend to bring Almasy back." Brak stated, pretending as if he were heartbroken as he spoke the next four words in a mockingly gloomy voice.

"At least, not alive." he stated, the faculty member laughing at the implication.

"Well then," the faculty member opened the door, and looked over at Brak, "I don't think he'll mind at all."

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268**

**1831 hrs**

It had been three and a half hours since they abruptly departed Balamb, still about two hundred kilometers out from the Galbadian shore. Instead of taking a direct route straight to Timber, Choco Bill had felt it best to take an alternate route to throw off any pursuers from Garden or anywhere else. The route was to take them due west over the beautiful coastal city of Matre da Velva, and then a hook to the south that would ultimately lead them to Timber.

The flight had thus far been devoid of any type of interaction, aside from Choco Bill asking a few stupid questions. Quistis sat off to the side with her arms crossed and glasses off, not once making an attempt to scold him or look upon him with her disillusioned glassy blue eyes. She leaned against the cushy pillow with her legs crossed, picking and brushing off the tiny pieces of lint that clung to her slim black skirt.

For some reason beyond his reach of thought, he clamored for her attention. The absence of words was disturbing, silence overtaking the cabin, drowning Seifer in unbearable boredom. What he wouldn't give for one of her regurgitated lectures about SeeD ethics or codes of conduct; anything to take his mind of his own thoughts.

Right now, the main thing his mind was telling him was that he was hungry, and looking over to Quistis, he bet she was too.

Reaching into the small fridge, Seifer pulled out two white styrofoam plates, and lied them on the small table, nudging one slowly over in front of Quistis.

She didn't flinch.

"You hungry?" Seifer asked, getting nothing more than an earful of dead air.

Seifer waited for her to make a move towards the plate of food, he himself not even aware of what was inside. Opening it up, Seifer smiled as he looked down at the towering stack of chow, including broiled chicken strips, macaroni salad, mixed vegetables, two dinner rolls and a red apple. Picking up the plastic fork, he scooped up a forkful of macaroni salad, looking over at Quists as he put it in his mouth, chewing and moaning with delicious pleasure.

And for the first time in three hours, she looked his way. It was obvious that she was hungry. He figured with everything that had been going on that day she hadn't ate once, maybe a small breakfast at most. Still, she remained stubborn and looked away, the intransigent young woman choosing her pride over her health.

Seifer rolled his eyes, "You can pout all you want, but at least eat something." He stated, now finding her ethical stand less than amusing.

After taking a few bites, he watched as Quistis finally gave in, leaning forth and opening the plate, not once looking to him to see the look of smug satisfaction in lieu of him being right.

Not even two bites into one of the tasty dinner rolls did Seifer make a bumptious comment.

"I knew you'd see it my way," he stated, smirking as Quistis looked over, lightly snorting at his words.

Seifer continued eating until the nightly news theme from the radio hit his ears. Reaching over, he twisted the black knob until the volume was at an audible setting.

_"Welcome to the world news, I'm Ira Standgold." _the reporter began,_ "Our top story tonight, Vinzer Deling, the controversial president of Galbadia is en route to the Timber Republic to make what his spokeswoman Mearle Chambers is calling, 'an announcement that will shape the future of the entire planet…'"_

Quistis almost choked on one of the pieces of chicken after hearing the report, "Timber?" she asked with a full mouth, and then quickly swallowed her food. "Seifer, tell me the truth! Tell me this has nothing to do with the president."

"Well," Seifer shrugged cramming all the food to the side of his mouth before he replied, "Do you want the truth, or do you want me to tell you that it has nothing to do with the president?"

"Seifer, are you out of your mind?" she shouted, watching as Seifer stopped chewing, and gave her a wandering glance. He figured she'd know the answer to that question by now.

"Nevermind! Look, I know you are trying to help someone, but I can't help you unless you tell me what's going on!" Quistis begged, hoping that Seifer would trust her for at least this one time.

_No such luck_.

"The less you know, the better." Seifer answered, taking another bite of food.

"At least let me contact Squall and his team. If they are in Timber, maybe they can help with whatever you're planning!" she told him.

"Forget it!" he demanded conclusively, causing Quistis to fall back into her moping position. "Besides, I have a feeling that we'll run into Leonhart there anyway." He finished and winked at her, Quistis eyes narrowing in uncertainty.

Quistis had not yet put together all the pieces, which surprised Seifer. Usually she was the quickest to discern and piece together even the smallest fractions of clues. Maybe it was because her mind was flooded with thoughts other than what was happening at the moment. In the past four days she had been fired from her job, rejected by Squall, and abducted by the most problematic student she'd ever had the good grace of teaching.

It didn't matter now, though. She could scatter the pieces and burn them, for everything would be revealed to her soon enough.

**

* * *

**

Take a step back…breathe! It's great going from a chapter you hate writing to a chapter you love. I can't say I HATE writing any chapters, but it was a challenge, but judging from the feedback, I guess I didn't do too bad.

This chapter would've been out Friday, but I lost the last three pages when I tried to close it out, and accidentally clicked on DON'T SAVE! It wasn't that bad since this chapter was fun to write, but had this been last chapter, I don't know what I would've done,

Moving on…

**Inside Look**

Cid the badass! I wanted to give a look into Cid's mean side. For the most part, I am making him the gentle chubby man he is in game, but I need to show exactly why he is the Headmaster of Garden, instead of a fat, scared little man.

I loved finally getting back into some real action! I wanted to make it more realistic than the game, and have the fake president be human at first. I did feel bad about killing Jagger off, cuz I think he could've been a real badass. There will be more awesome original characters in the future, though.

I always, ALWAYS wondered who was Commander before Squall, and what happened to him? It wasn't answered in the game, but it will be answered here. Doesn't seem too trustworthy though, does he? Hmm…

More Seifer/Quistis interaction. Nothing big, but I'm trying to fill in all the blanks. I haven't read a novelization yet that has answered all of the bigger unanswered questions in the game, but I'm gonna try, that's for damn sure!

**Prodigy's Corner**

**Noacat**: I'm glad you liked it. More than I dreaded writing it, I dreaded how people would respond. Being that it was positive, I can breathe and move on!

I actually forgot, I took two of the Seinfeld quotes out during editing, but I left one in there. _"Do it like a band-aid…one motion, right off!_" Jerry's advice to George at ending a relationship. I felt it worked well in this chapter too!

Yes, but I felt Rinoa was a little too advanced as a fighter in the game. Guess she had to been to make things fair. But in my story, she's going to have to learn as she goes, and evolve as a true threat by the end. I actually don't have her getting the Blaster Edge til later, but you'll just have to wait and see! ;P

**DBZ FF Queen**: I know everyone has got lives here, so you don't need to apologize for not reviewing. I'm just thankful you got around to it!

Yes, Seifer and Quistis is fun to write. I didn't want to include a huge fight between Seifer and the other SeeD's. I didn't want to take anything away from the battle between Galbadia and Balamb. Plus, if you noticed, Seifer didn't strike one civilian officer. Wanted to show how he could easily win that battle without swords or fists.

Had to have them slip up once on the train, just to make it a bit more realistic.

**Kaiser**: Yes we both need to keep it up! Hopefully we can both finish our renditions of this awesome story!

**JJFirebrand**: New reviewer…awesome! Always like to see new faces around my parts. Thanks for reviewing each chapter, good reviews at that!

Glad you liked the Prologue, one of the few chapters (including this one) I think I wrote pretty well. Some people didn't like the feather, but as you said, I had to foreshadow a bit, without actually giving anything about her character away.

Yes, a Caterchpilliar took Squall down. Have to make Squall get hurt once in awhile, even by the little people. Don't wanna make him seem totally invincible, he is human.

Ifrit's battle was fun to write, but that was another scene that every time I wrote it, I felt as if it could be better, but I had to give in and post it, or who know…I might still be writing that chapter!

The Dollet chapter is the biggest source of controversy in my story, since a lot of people didn't like that Squall was so effected by his first kill. What I did is put myself in Squall's shoes, and imagined as best I could how I would feel to kill another person for the first time. Some take it really bad, and it wasn't like I had Squall cry or anything. He reacted pretty realistically, and that's what my story is all about. Obviously, a lot of it cant be very realistic, but I'm doing my best to make it as such.

In my story, I put the cadets in the Dollet mission mainly for support, while the SeeD's did most of the fighting, you just don't really see it.

Yes, multiple people can't carry GF's in the game, so I didn't feel they should be able to in my story either. The challenging aspect is finding a way to make that work, especially with Ifrit, since capturing him was supposedly a prerequisite. Had to change it! Pandemonum will come around eventually, as will many others.

You don't like Seifer? He's one of my faves, and Ramuh's badass! Yet again, the Black Widow scene was one I felt could be better, but it came out alright in my opinion. I was especially proud of the end of that battle where Squall was running and Quistis blew it apart. Thought I did good there portraying the urgency and the heart pumping action!

**_Thanks for reviewing, everyone!_**

The next update may not be for another two weeks, three at the latest, at which point I should be updating every 7-10 days. I am getting ready to move and start a new life, but don't by any means think this story won't continue. If anything, it will get stronger!

Also, coming soon, I will start putting previews of coming chapters in my bio, just so you'll know what to look for.

Next chapter is gonna be fun too. Squall and the gang will be making there way to the president, Seifer and Quistis will arrive and Dollet, and the SeeD team led by Commander Brak will head over too. And the biggest bonus…Squall comes into possession of a new Guardian Force. It's going to be different, but for those of you who like my writing, I think you'll love it.

Until next time…

**_Prodigy_**


	16. Chapter XIII: Return to Timber

**Note**: Wow, its been awhile, huh? I finished a hard semester at school that include six grueling classes, and that coupled with work has taken all my time and energy. Fortunately, next semester is 3 easy classes, so I will have more time and energy. But, before I focus on this once again, I have to know A) people are still reading, and B) if I have lost my edge or not. If there is still a demand, I will gladly continue, if not, I will leave it alone, and maybe write a new story. Let me know, thanks.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268/**

**1924 hrs**

The three SeeD's remained secluded from the Forest Owls the remaining hour as they traveled back into the undoubtedly stirring Republic of Timber. Each was worn out from sleep deprivation and the preceding brawl with Jagger, which nearly cost them their lives.

"Sir," Squall heard through his light daze, not wanting to answer. He thought maybe had he not replied, they might leave him sleep a few more minutes, but his professionalism wouldn't allow him to act so obtuse. Squall squinted open his dreary eyes as the light poured into the dark room from the hallway.

"We're pulling back into Timber as we speak," the voice Squall then identified as Watts notified him. Squall nodded and stood up slowly as Watts left Squall to handle the rest.

Squall stretched and yawned before walking over to the blinds that covered the windows. He could feel the train's speed decreasing, so he knew they were close. Parting the blinds with his fingers, he noticed the green pastures just outside of Timber, and estimated about five minutes until arrival.

Walking over to his other two cohorts, he realized they were sleeping comfortably; Selphie with her head buried in her crossed arms, and Zell with his face lying in a puddle of his own drool. Squall rolled his eyes and abruptly ended their rest, and explained the current situation. After a few moments of stretching and primping, they returned to the front corridor, where Rinoa, Zone and Watts were chatting. The train had already come to a stop in Timber, and the three faction members were waiting for their exhausted employees.

"Nice sleep?" Rinoa asked, the only one with any type of response was Selphie, who simply smiled and nodded.

"How do we get to the TV station from here?" Squall rubbed his eyes and asked, getting straight to the point as the door slid open.

"It's on the other side of Timber, in the North District." Zone answered, "Usually, we could just take the local train, but I just received word they've all stopped running."

"Why aren't they running?" Squall questioned again.

"Security issues, what else? Galbadian THREATCON level is at orange here in Timber due to all the faction activity, and the president's imminent visit, of course." Zone stated.

"And I'm pretty sure it's going to get bumped up to red before tomorrow morning." Watts added as the group walked out of the abandoned station and into the open, where an increased amount of G-Army soldiers roamed the streets.

"Okay, so what do we do?" Squall asked Rinoa, but before she could answer, caught sight of several men, clad in blue uniforms wandering just outside the station.

"Damn," she cussed, slipping off to the side and peeking out.

"What's wrong?" Squall asked as the group stopped to wait.

"Don't you see all those soldiers?" Rinoa asked, pointing outside.

"There are literally thousands of suspects, they have no idea we had anything to do with it." Squall assured her.

"It's not that…" she whispered to him.

"There's another reason?" Squall raised his voice, noticing as her and Zone exchanged worried glances. "I knew there was something you were hiding!"

"No, its nothing," she dismissed any uneasiness she was feeling and walked out the door, hesitation with every step.

"Let's go," she said and walked forth with Zone and Watts. Squall looked to Zell who shrugged, clueless as to why she was acting so odd.

The three SeeD's remained about twenty yards behind the Forest Owls as they walked the streets, careful not to draw any attention to themselves. Of course, the SeeD's drew the eyes and many peculiar looks from the soldiers, who could easily see they weren't the average, lowly citizens that normally crossed their paths. The SeeD's carried themselves with a poise that was uncommon to the area, which made it difficult to remain inconspicuous. Fortunately for the SeeD's though, none of the Galbadian soldiers thought enough of it to stop them.

After about ten minutes of walking, the Owls ducked into an alleyway free from any onlookers, calling the SeeD's over to notify them of their plan.

"We're heading to the Timber Ridge Inn," Rinoa stated, "I have a friend that works there that might be able to help."

"Are you sure they can help?" Squall asked as Rinoa's eyes narrowed. "We don't have time to just be lollygagging."

Rinoa sighed, seemingly fed up with Squall's constant second-guessing, "Well Mr. Leonhart, this is my choice as your client, and I would appreciate if you would just follow my lead," she demanded, and walked up to Squall with her hands on her hips.

"No…questions…asked!" she finished sternly, and walked past him, and continued on with her group.

Squall wasn't purposely trying to get under her skin, but he knew as leader, his duty was to ensure the mission ran smoothly, and he couldn't do that if they were making unnecessary stops. After a moment, Squall waved on Zell and Selphie and followed the Owls.

It wasn't long until they reached the business district, which was crowded with soldiers, both on and off duty. It wasn't hard slipping through the crowd of servicemen, since many of the off duty soldiers were frolicking in drunken amusement, messing with their on-duty buddies. They eventually made it to the strip, where most of the big businesses were located. The Timber Inn resided just next to the world famous _TimberManiacs_ building, which was the most popular magazine publisher in Galbadia. The hotel was a bit rundown, but was luxurious by Timber's standards.

Rinoa stopped just before the entrance to the Timber Inn, and waited for Squall and his group to catch up.

"Squall," Rinoa started as he walked towards her, "Zone and Watts are going to gather information from our underground members. We need someone to stay out here and keep an eye out for any unusual activity."

Squall nodded in agreement, and then looked back to his group, thinking of who he wanted outside. He knew Selphie was more than capable, but the fact that he knew exactly what Zell was capable of was the only reason he chose him to stand watch.

"Zell…" Squall said, the blonde martial artist already knowing what he was about to say.

"Gotcha," Zell nodded, and turned, strolling around the nearby area as Squall, Rinoa and Selphie entered the hotel. Upon entering, the lobby was dimly lit for the coming of night, with only a few members of the staff that were vacuuming and dusting.

Rinoa looked over the vacant lobby, seeing no sign of her friend, who supposedly could aid them in their mission. After a few moments, the door behind the receptionist's desk opened, and slowly, a middle aged woman with curly black hair walked out, still talking to someone the cordless phone she was holding. She seemed a bit frustrated as she hung up the phone and walked towards the desk, rubbing her eyes, hoping the long day would soon come to an end.

Looking up, the woman noticed a familiar, black-haired young lady who she hadn't seen in weeks, standing just by the entrance. She rushed around the desk and over to greet her friend.

"Rinoa!" the lady exclaimed excitedly, bringing a smile to Rinoa's face. "How are you?"

"Hello Miss DiMarco. I'm alright." Rinoa replied as they hugged each other. Miss DiMarco looked at Rinoa with genuine care, pleased to see she hadn't been hurt. She looked up and made eye contact with Squall, who then looked at her.

"Who's your handsome escort, and where can I get one?" she smiled and winked at Squall, who looked off to the side, ignoring the playful humor.

"This is Squall," Rinoa answred with a suppressed giggle, "He is helping the Forest Owls reclaim Timber."

"Oh," she said delightfully and extended a warm hand, "Nice to meet you." Squall nodded to her, but declined to shake her hand. After a moment of awkward silence, Rinoa spoke to Squall.

"Miss DiMarco is sort of an underground member of the Forest Owls. We have many around town and in different fields to provide us with information, supplies and communication. The Forest Owls are one of the smaller, but more powerful factions." Rinoa explained to Squall, who nodded as she spoke, barely paying attention as he kept an eye out for any Galbadian soldiers.

"Rinoa," Miss DiMarco interrupted, "I'm sorry, but you will not be able to stay here tonight," she began to explain, just as two off-duty soldiers in civilian clothes walked inside, staring at Squall as they walked to the stairwell.

Miss DiMarco walked closer to Rinoa, and finished explaining in a softer tone, "I can't really say this out loud, but a bunch of Galbadian roughnecks rented out the whole second floor, and said this was an order from President Deling, and I could not refuse."

"Is Deling here?" Rinoa questioned, as Squall glanced over quickly, waiting for her response.

"No, it's mainly just for his security," she answered, "I heard a few of them saying he arrived earlier, and is staying at an undisclosed location, but they didn't mention any specifics. Again Rinoa, I'm very sorry." Miss DiMarco apologized; seeming let down that she wasn't of much help.

Rinoa smiled, "It's alright, Miss DiMarco. Thank you."

"Oh Rinoa, how long have we known each other?" the kind woman smiled, and took Rinoa's hands, "Please, call me Francesca."

"Oh, sorry," Rinoa smirked, "Just a habit, I guess. Anyway…"

"Rinoa," Squall interrupted, "We really should be going." Rinoa nodded in agreement.

"Please, do let me know how you all are," Miss DiMarco told Rinoa as they hugged again, "I worry about you all so much sometimes."

"Thank you…Francesca. We'll keep in touch." Rinoa assured her, and watched as Francesca walked back towards the receptionist's desk. Rinoa turned back towards Squall, who was looking out the window, keeping a keen eye out for unusual activity.

"Okay, I'm ready," Rinoa told Squall, who turned and nodded. As the walked towards the door, Selphie called them off to the side of the room.

"Hey guys," she called out, surprising both of them, "Look at this model train track!"

Rinoa smiled and walked toward her, "Yes, it's a base is a model of what Timber used to look like, when it prospered and flourished in wealth. That's why we all work so hard to reclaim Timbers independence."

Selphie walked around as if she had never seen anything so enthralling, "The detail is amazing, and the trains look awesome, don't they Squall?" she asked, Squall's eyes widening as he heard his name.

"Well…" Squall said as he observed the small locomotives, "…better than Rinoa's." he joked, trying to ease the tension between him and his employee.

"That's so mean," she snapped back, surprisingly insulted by the innocent comment, "I worked really hard on mine!" she snapped.

"Relax, I was kidding." Squall held a hand up, trying to calm her.

Rinoa took a deep breath, but still seemed upset, "When someone says they're kidding, it's usually half true."

Squall shook his head, not really sure of what she wanted from him. He wasn't there to be her friend, but he was still trying to establish a settle ground between the two of them. Instead of making a big deal of it, he simply walked towards the door, vowing never to joke around with his client again.

Walking outside, Squall scanned the nearby area, seeing no sign of Zell. At first he was concerned something might have happened, until he noticed his blonde subordinate walking towards them.

"Zell, where were you?" Squall asked, not sounding particularly happy.

Zell pointed towards the markets in the distance, "I was just…uhh."

"Relax Zell," Selphie walked up to him with a smile, "The expression…or should I say, the mustard on your face, says it all." She told him as he wiped his lips, and innocently looked up at Squall as Selphie, and even Rinoa giggled.

"This is no time to play around," Squall stated, trying to remain calm, "We need to finish this mission and get back to Garden!" he insisted and began to began to walk ahead, but again was red-lighted by Rinoa's voice.

"Oh, you're just dying to get out of here, aren't you?" she asked in a voice that was quiet, and yet somehow, loud, "Well I hope you get this all done fast, I wouldn't want to keep you from your precious Garden too long!" she yelled as she stormed off to the side, next to the TimberManiacs building.

Squall raised his arms, unsure of what set her off again. He never met a girl like her, and even if he had, he never spent much more than a few minutes with the opposite sex outside of Quistis, so he would've never known. He looked up to the grey-clouded sky, praying to Hyne for the patience to finish the mission.

"What's up with that?" Zell asked after observing the outburst.

"I think she's mad 'cause Squall insulted her model train," Selphie told Zell, who wasn't present for Squall's remark.

"He had every right to," Zell stated and shook his head, "That thing was ugly!"

"Let's go," Squall told them and walked in Rinoa's direction, as Zell and Selphie continued conversing.

Rinoa was leaning against the large stone building next to a '_Now Hiring'_ sign. He wasn't about to lower himself to console her, since she was more or less just pouting. He figured this was one of the 'princess's' snooty personality traits. He didn't say a word, he just stepped in front of her and waited for her to speak.

"It's getting late," Rinoa said after a moment, "Maybe we should just go back and rest up for the night."

Squall shrugged, "What about Deling? He's still somewhere in Timber."

"Without any leads or information as to his whereabouts in Timber, we'll never find him," she responded, "We know exactly where he's going to be tomorrow, so that's when we'll make our move. Is that alright with you, Squall?" she finished, derision in her voice as she asked for his approval.

"Do we have a choice in the matter?" Squall returned the sarcasm.

Rinoa, shook her head, "No, not really," she told him as she looked him in the eyes for a moment, and then bowed her head, almost looking guilty for treating him with such contempt.

"I'll meet you back at the base," she said in a humble voice, and walked away.

"Think she's still mad about that train comment?" Zell asked as he walked up to Squall and smacked his arm. Squall looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and Zell simply shrugged.

"Whatever, let's go." Squall answered and walked ahead, ready for a long-needed rest.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268/**

**2021 hrs**

Inside the second floor office sat the SeeD Commander, looking over Seifer's file. He had volunteered to lead the team in the recovery mission of Garden's most troubled cadet. Fingering through the pages of Seifer's troubling past; the commander smirked at a few of the stunts Seifer had pulled during his tenure at Garden, many of which included another cadet, Squall Leonhart. Both had very impressive backgrounds as far as skills went, but Seifer had a severe problem with authority.

Commander Brak had met Seifer a few years earlier, just after he became an upperclassman. He had never met someone who had such a general lack of disrespect for superiors, which was a reason he didn't care much for the rebel in the first place. He felt strongly there was no room for the tolerance that the Headmaster would undoubtedly show for Seifer. Brak wasn't so understanding, and figured as far as Seifer Almasy goes, it was time for Garden to cut its losses, and move on.

Continuing his research, his door opened, watching as one of the Garden faculty member entered with a folder in his hand.

"So?" Brak asked as he sat back in his black leather chair, crossing his arms.

"Master NORG has decided to fulfill your request, and the Headmaster has just bottom lined it," the faculty member explained and handed the folder to the SeeD commander, "Your mission is a go."

Brak smiled as he looked at the Headmasters signature, "Little does he know he just signed a warrant for Almasy's death!"

"Yes. He will think twice about lying to the Garden faculty again!" the faculty member demanded, confusing Brak, who had been gone for quite some time.

"What do you mean?" Brak asked.

"We approved a mission request the other day that was personally endorsed by the Headmaster. A resistance faction offered very little money for SeeD assistance. The Headmaster assured us that it was to try to force the G-Army out of Timber, but Master NORG knew it had something to do with Deling."

"Why?" Brak asked again.

"You don't know?" the faculty member asked, and Brak shook his head, leaning across his desk, very interested.

"Headmaster Kramer's wife Edea was taken by G-Army troops under Deling's order."

Brak's eyes widened and he stood up, and began smoothing over his chin with his fingers, "So that's why the old man wants us over there! This isn't just about Almasy, it's about his fuckin' wife! But, why does Deling want her?"

"Our guess is that they are trying to exploit her sorceress powers," the faculty member ventured a guess.

"Do you think they can do it?" Brak questioned, "I thought Esthar had all the knowledge of sorcery?"

"I don't know, we will deal with that if and when the time comes," the faculty member stated as he stood up and looked at Brak, "Almasy is our focus right now!"

The commander nodded and opened the door for the faculty member, "Tell Master NORG he has nothing to worry about. As of tomorrow, Seifer Almasy will no longer be a problem of Balamb Garden." Brak told the faculty member with the utmost confidence in his statement.

"You can count on it!" he finished, and the faculty member nodded, confident that Brak would carry out a successful mission.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 2nd 4268/**

**2108 hrs**

Back at the Forest Owls base, the SeeD's were preparing for a much needed rest. The Owls had prepared one of the engineer's rooms for the SeeD's stay, and although it was a bit cramped and stuffy, all three were too tired to care. There was a metal post bunk bed with thin mattresses that made the beds at Garden feel like heaven. Zell and Selphie took the bed, and Squall took the floor, leaning against the bulkhead with an old pillow supporting his head. He was tinkering with the SeeD communication device so he could try to inform Garden of their status, but all he could get was static.

"Can't get it to work?" Zell questioned, leaning over the top bunk, looking down at Squall.

"No, I can't get a signal anywhere in Timber." Squall answered, scanning the frequencies he might be able to use.

"Wonder if Garden has tried to contact us," Zell stated, leaning over more and looking to the bunk beneath him where Selphie had passed out, and was deep in rest.

"Maybe," Squall answered, but quickly realized all his efforts at catching a signal were fruitless, "Forget it."

"Just get some sleep, we can contact Garden tomorrow." Zell said as he fell back into his pillow and yawned, asleep within a matter of seconds.

Squall pocketed the device and adjusted the pillow until he was somewhat comfortable. He doubted he would even be able to sleep, regardless of how winded he actually was. There were so many issues at hand, and very little he could do about them. The mission seemed so disorganized, like no solid details were thought out beforehand, which was uncommon given Garden's strict policies on approving mission requests. He knew he was in no position to question the Headmaster or even the Garden faculty, but it still didn't seem right.

Squall's eyes began to flicker as thoughts spiraled through his head. One of those thought even seemed misplaced in his mind, but he just dismissed it as exhaustion. It seemed for some reason, he couldn't get Rinoa out of his mind. Try as he might, everything about the young woman was burned into his memory. He couldn't remember a single time in his life he could so distinctly recall a person's face, other than Seifer, of course. He couldn't for the life of him figure out why either, all she did was give him headaches and overreact to everything he said. The last thought he had running through his mind before he fell asleep, was how she got into his head when no one else could.

Before he could find an answer to that question, though, his mind drifted, and he fell asleep.

* * *

**Authors Note**: I know this chapter is short, and that is only because next chapter is an added bonus I felt would be better as its own chapter. It wont be long either, but it should pick up again after that, pending you want me to continue.

And, I guess is not supporting shout outs and chapter notes anymore, which I'll tell you right now, I really don't care for. It is silly, and there is no reason why we shouldn't be able to talk back to those who review the story. Whatever though, I follow that rules, absurd as they may be. Anyway, let me know what you think people. Peace out.

**Prodigy**


	17. Angel of Mercy

Note: Okay, this is not in the game, but it's a VERY different take on how Squall acquires one of the Guardian forces, and gives a little backstory. You don't HAVE to read it to understand what is going on in later chapters, but it won't hurt to read it either. Enjoy!

* * *

**Angel of Mercy**

Squall tossed and turned uncomfortably as he felt himself awakening, even though he was still exhausted. Sitting up, he rubbed his neck, which felt sore from sleeping against the cold wall of the train. Sitting there, though, he realized he wasn't lying on the floor, he was in a bed. Looking around, he realized he wasn't even on the train at all. He quickly got out of the bed and looked around the room, which was nothing more than a bed, table, and a few chairs.

How did he get here? Was he abducted during his sleep, and if so, how did he not realize it? He felt no effects of being drugged, and had no signs of a physical struggle.

Was it another dream, like the one he had on the train to Timber? The peculiar buzzing was there, and neither were Laguna's annoying thoughts about that Julia woman. Running a hand through his hair, he realized they were his own brown locks, not the black ones that belonged to Laguna, and even more than that, he could move on his own will.

Then what was it? There were definitely no clues within the room he was standing, but was he locked in? He rushed for the door and turned the handle, finding that it wasn't locked, and opened it. He peeked out to ensure that no one was outside guarding the door, and once confirming he was in the clear, he walked outside. He didn't at all recognize his surroundings, which was comprised of old stone structures, dirt roads and lanterns. He noticed a few chocobo carriages and street markets, which proved they weren't a big on the newer technologies. It almost reminded him of Dollet, but even Dollet had some perks.

"Hello?" Squall called out, observing the houses and buildings that were built along the empty streets of the town. It was quiet, but it was an unsettling silence that was more sinister than peaceful. He would've given anything just to hear a dark barking or children laughing, just to know everything was alright. That wouldn't have answered the question about where he was, but it would at least put his mind at ease.

He continued his hike around the seemingly deserted down, turning down ever street and alley, just trying to find someone or something that could answer his questions. He tried calling out a few more times, but the only response he received were his own echoing words. After about twenty long minutes covering just under two miles, he decided to try knocking on one of the doors to get some answers.

He randomly picked one of the small homes off to the side, and walked up to the door. Knocking on the door, he realized it wasn't completely closed completely as it creped open. Squall paused for a moment and glanced around, and then inched the door open more slowly and peeked his head into the dark home.

"Hello?" Squall yelled inside, "Anyone home?"

After getting no response, he walked inside cautiously, immediately noticing all the furniture had been upturned and most of the belongings had been rummaged through and destroyed. Sensing trouble, Squall reached to his side for his gunblade, but it wasn't there. He didn't know what he was dealing with at the moment, but he knew he needed some answers, even if it did mean putting himself in danger.

He continued forth, stepping over the obstacles the lied on the floor. He headed towards one of the doors in the corner of the room, and slowly opened it, finding only another mess from what looked like a raid. He headed to the door on the other side of the room, not expecting find anything more than more clutter.

Opening the door, Squall found something that did prove that the town wasn't totally abandoned, but also proved that something was horribly wrong. There was a man, woman and three young children, all slaughtered in a group in the corner of the room. This was much more than a burglary gone wrong, it was a calculated massacre. Not wanting to look at it any longer, Squall exited the room, and left the house.

Where the hell was he? It wasn't like the dream he had on the way to Timber, this was definitely happening to him. He leaned against the door and scratched his head, looking at the ground as he tried to figure out his next move. The truth was, he had no idea where to go, and since the area was new to him and there was no one alive around, there was no way of finding out.

"Are you lost?" A voice asked from behind Squall, immediately causing him to spin around and take a fighting stance. The man standing in the shadows held up his hands slowly.

"I mean you no harm," he stated in a truthful tone, "You just seemed lost, young man."

"I'm not even sure where the hell I am," Squall answered as he dropped his arms, deeming that the man was trustworthy.

"The more appropriate question…" the man began as he walked towards Squall, "…is when?"

"What?" Squall asked as the man with white, shoulder length hair stepped into the shallow moonlight. He was wearing what looked like a lightly armored, long, black leather coat with a black vest, pants and boots, with a sword handle and a red medallion peeking out from the inside of his jacket. The man did not appear to be hostile, but Squall remained vigilant of his actions.

"Who are you? Where is everyone?" Squall demanded, wanting answers immediately.

"You and I are here," he replied, "That is all that matters." Squall took a deep breath, figuring the man was insane after the answers he had given so far.

"I don't have time for this," Squall stated as he began to walk away.

"You won't find what you're looking for that way," the man told him.

"You don't even know what it is I'm looking for!" Squall answered without breaking stride.

"Your mind is an open book to me, Squall." The man told him, freezing him in his tracks. Squall spun around, and stared at the man.

"What?" Squall began to ask as he walked forth, "How do you know my name? Who are you?"

"All shall be revealed in time," the man answered and turned, "Please, follow me." He stated and walked down the road. Squall had no choice but to follow, since he needed to know exactly just where he was and why he was there.

He followed at a safe distance behind the dark man as they walked the unlit streets, not speaking once in that span. It seemed like they had walked over an hour by the time the man in black finally entered one of the buildings. Squall followed him inside soon after, and up the long staircase until finally reaching the roof of the building.

Walking over towards the edge, Squall was mesmerized by what he seen in the distance. The city that lied before him was amazing, like the types he had only read about in books. The ocean gleamed next to him as the breeze blew into his face. The land before him was old, ancient even, with an enormous castle standing majestically over everything in the distance.

"What is this?" Squall asked, still amazed at what he was seeing, real or not.

"The early civilization of Centra," he answered as he looked into the distance with Squall, "I was a soldier in the Invalice Army when they were at war with Centra over three thousand years ago."

"The sacred grounds of Invalice?" Squall asked shockingly, recalling what he had read about a few times in the past, "I thought that was a myth."

"It was very much real," the man answered, "But that is not important right now. Watch." He told Squall and point down to the side, where a group of soldiers in black armor exited the home, dragging out what looked like a family who most likely lived in the home. The mother, father and two teenage daughters were put on their knees, all crying in fear of losing their lives.

Finally, two last men exited the building. First was a bald man with blood covering his chiseled face, and second was a man who looked exactly like the man that was accompanying Squall. After further scrutiny, Squall realized it was.

"That's you?" Squall asked, and the man merely nodded and looked on. Squall continued to watch and listen to what was taking place.

"Please, kill me, but do not harm my wife or children!" the husband pleaded, but was swatted across the face by the bald man.

"Shut up fool, or we will kill them slowly and painfully in front of you!" he screamed at the citizen, who was immediately put back on his knees by the other soldiers.

The white haired man who looked liked Squall's guide, stepped in front of the poor man, "We will not kill them if you tell us where the king is. We know he is hiding somewhere in the city, so I suggest you tell us something useful."

"I swear, sir, I have no idea where the king is!" the man answered, crying as he did. The white haired man quickly grasped the prisoner's throat, and squeezed. The family cried as they watched their husband and father gasp for air.

"I am going to ask you once more, where is the king!" he asked the man, pulling him closer.

"I…I don't know! I swear I would tell you, but I don't know!" the man gasped through the small breaths his captor allowed. The white haired man could see his victims eyes he was telling the truth, and threw him to the ground.

"This is pointless, these people don't know anything!" he stated to the bald man, "The king probably isn't even in the city anymore, we would've found him by now."

"I agree," the bald headed man who seemed to be in charge answered, "Alright, we're moving out men!" he told the other soldiers and began walking off, before he was stopped.

"What should we do with them?" one of the soldiers asked, pointing at the family. The bald head man slowly walked towards the family, and stood before the two daughters with a menacing grin on his face. The daughters screamed as they watched the man unsheathe his sword and raise it in the air.

"Wait!" a voice called out, stopping him. He looked behind him seeing his white haired colleague walking towards him, "What are you doing, Kratos? These people know nothing, they are innocent!"

"None of these beggars are innocent, Gareth!" the bald soldier named Kratos screamed back, "They praise a king who has started wars that killed thousands of our people."

"And killing them makes us no better than he is!" Gareth, the same man Squall was with, responded.

"An eye for an eye, brother!" Kratos said evilly and raised his sword again, preparing to murder the family.

"No!" Gareth yelled and grabbed Kratos wrist before he could strike, "This is not their war, I cannot allow you to kill them!"

Kratos pulled his arm away and push his brother away, "The day you allow me to do anything is the day I am dead!"

"Do not do it, Kratos!" Gareth warned him, but only got a laugh in response. Again, Kratos raised his sword, intent on killing them all. Just as his arm began to descend, he felt a cold, sharp pain ran through his arm.

Looking down, Kratos saw his arm lying on the ground with sword in his severed hand. He looked up slowly to find his brother Gareth, standing beside him with a bloody sword in hand.

"Seize him!" one of the soldiers yelled, and seven of the soldiers restrained Gareth, who did not fight back.

Kratos attended to himself for a moment, and weakly walked over to Gareth, who stared back at his brother with rage and also sorrow in his eyes.

"Oh Gareth, your mercy is your weakness," Kratos told him, and rested a hand on his shoulder, "Consider this a mercy killing!" he stated, then backed up, nodding to the other soldiers, who proceeded to stab and slash at Gareth unmercifully, until he was lying in a puddle of his own blood, albeit dead. With his last bit of life, Gareth looked up to his brother, who bowed his head.

"I'm sorry, brother." Kratos said regretfully, and walked away, just as Gareth's life faded away.

Squall looked up to Gareth, "You died here?"

"My human form did," he answered, "But Lord Hyne had bigger plans for me and my brother, Kratos. The High Sorcerer granted us immortality, in hopes that we would protect humanity against those who wished to destroy it. I, as the Angel of Mercy. My brother, as the God of War."

"A Guardian Force?" Squall asked as he looked at Gareth, who nodded, "I don't understand,"

"A Guardian's purpose is to serve a master," Gareth began, "The stronger ones are able to choose whom they serve. Since my transformation, I've served only three mortals, finding them to be mere pawns than true warriors. Until now, every mortal I've crossed is the same, if not weaker than them. But you are different."

"What makes me so different?" Squall asked, still not convinced this man was what he claimed he was.

"You hold many of the same ideals as I do. You have the heart of a warrior, but not the mind of a killer. Your will to destroy evil is strong, as is mine. I could sense it since the first time you laid your hands upon me."

"What are you talking about?" Squall questioned, not finding Gareth's story making much sense.

"The artifact you were given by the old man," Gareth informed him.

"What artifact? I don't…" Squall began, but immediately remembered what Cid had given him just before they left for Timber, "The lamp?" He questioned. It began making more sense to him, since the Headmaster did elucidate that the lamp contained a Guardian Force.

"My throne for the past three millennia." Gareth answered, "I can read the souls of all who lay their hands upon it. Most don't feel my presence, but you did. Your soul awoken me…it excited me! I offer you my protection, and with your blessing, I will serve you." Gareth stated, looking as if he authentically wanted to help, but Squall was still skeptical.

"I don't know, Gareth." Squall replied, shaking his head.

"Gareth is my mortal name," he answered, and the wind suddenly picked up as the black medallion he wore around his neck began to glow red, and the energy flowed around him. Squall backed up as his eyes began to glow, and then began to float high into the air.

"You can call me, Diablos!" the man, Squall had now started to believe was a Guardian Force, informed him as his voice echoed through the sky. Black clouds blocked out all light, and all Squall could see was the Guardian Force, he now knew as Diablos. He looked more like a demon than an angel, and Squall had learned that many Guardian Forces can corrupt the mind, so he really didn't know what to think.

"Don't be fooled by my true form!" Diablos told him. "It is merely a vision to strike fear within those who threaten me. It's your decision…" he told Squall just as everything around him began to fade out and turn black, and he returned back to his reality.


	18. Chapter XIV: Dangerous Minds

**Chapter XIV**

_**Dangerous Minds**_

**Wednesday, May 3rd 4268/**

**0713 hrs**

Morning had finally arrived in Timber, and the new day brought with it a lot of uncertainty. The SeeD's, in conjunction with the Forest Owls, would be initiating an attack against one of the most powerful figureheads on the planet. There was no way of knowing how it would all it would all go down, but if history was any lesson; it was that nothing ever goes the way it's planned. The only thing that was certain was the fact that they may very well not make it to the end of the day.

Squall awoke that morning after an uninterrupted night of needed rest, aside from a few bothersome dreams. He stretched his back and neck, trying to relieve the stiffness of sleeping in an awkward position the entire night. In the corner of the room, in front the bunks, Squall could hear some heavy breathing and grunting. Looking up, he noticed Zell, who was awake earlier than he probably ever had been. He had his shirt off and was doing underhanded pull-ups on one of the pipes that ran along the ceiling. After about thirty repetitions, Zell dropped down and walked around the bunk to find his colleague attempting to stand up.

"Morning sunshine!" Zell jived.

Squall nodded groggily, and looked around the room, "Where's Selphie?"

"She went to get some breakfast," Zell answered as he slipped his shirt on, "It wasn't bad, although the eggs were a little dry," he joked, just before Watts entered the room, somewhat frantically.

"Sir?"

"What is it?" Squall asked.

"Sorry to bother you," Watts apologized in his usual overly courteous way, "But we have a problem, and we need you guys in the strategy room."

"Okay," Squall answered, and Watts nodded with a smile and left the room.

Zell shook his head, "Man, it's too early for this shit!" he stated with aggravation and followed Watts out.

After changing his clothes and splashing some cold water over his face, Squall showed up in the strategy room minutes later, where Selphie, Rinoa, Zone and Watts were piling all of their folders and belongings into cardboard boxes. Before he could even ask about the situation, Zell burst in behind him, holding a buttered bagel in each hand from the leftover breakfast. Squall was hungry, but had too much on his mind to think about food.

After giving Zell an all too common glance, Squall looked back to the group, "What's going on?"

"They're onto us," Zone answered, and walked up to him, "They suspect it was us who set up the kidnapping!"

"What? How the hell did they find that out?" Zell questioned with a mouth full of food.

"I don't know. A few of our lesser-known faction members are buying us some time," he told Squall, "We need to get out of sight, before they have every G-Army soldier on us!"

"Yes," Rinoa added, "But first we must gather everything that can be used as evidence and destroy it."

"We don't have time for this!" Squall informed Rinoa, who didn't seem too pleased, "You need to tell the rest of your crew to get out of here, and we need to do the same, now!" he stated as Zell and Selphie walked towards Squall. Rinoa threw a stack of papers into the pile and pointed a finger in Squall's face.

"You listen to me; you are my client! WE are paying YOU for YOUR services! We tell you what to do, not the other way around, got it?" she demanded heatedly, and watched as Selphie and Zell, who were standing behind Squall, backed up in lieu of what his reaction might be. He seemed unusually quiet at first, but they feared it may just have been the calm before the storm.

"Look, 'princess'…you can order us around all you want, and we'll do it, but I'm not your mother, and I'm not going to baby you. My job as a SeeD is to support you in your mission, but my duty as squad leader is to take the best possible action to make sure that mission is a success. So if you want to file a grievance after this is all over, be my guest, but the G-Army could be here any second, and everything you're working for will be ruined!" Squall shot back, freezing everyone in the room, especially Rinoa.

"Now, if you're coming with us, tell me now, otherwise we're leaving without you," Squall told her, "What's it going to be?"

Looking at Rinoa, Squall could tell she was practically speechless, but he needed her to know they weren't going to tolerate being treated like children. After a moment, she nodded, and walked past Squall with her head down.

"Zone and Watts, tell everybody to get off the train and take refuge," she informed them in a somber tone, "I'll meet you all behind the station…I have to do something real quick." She finished, looked at Squall with a dismayed look in her eyes, and walked away.

Squall stood there for a moment, contemplating what he had just said to Rinoa, wondering if it was necessary. He knew there were probably better ways he could have went about telling her what he thought, but being that he was in a leadership position, he was ultimately responsible for how things would go that day. He needed her to realize that his decisions were based on not only what the Forest Owls wanted, but also what he thought was the best course of action.

Squall, Zell and Selphie made their way to the back of the old, abandoned train station, and waited for Zone, Watts and Rinoa to finish up. They waited for ten minutes before Zone and Watts finally came out, and shortly after that, Rinoa joined them. Squall wasn't sure how close the G-Army and the president's security were to discovering the Owls base, but knew it was only a matter of time, and they needed to hurry.

They walked through the city in three separate groups; Squall and Zell, Rinoa and Selphie, and Zone and Watts. They took numerous back roads and shortcuts to avoid the soldiers whenever possible, and had done a fine job at keeping off of the G-Army's radar. After about an hour of walking, they all met up behind a deserted garage just before the business district, where G-Army occupancy was heavy.

"Okay, it's almost 0900," Squall began, "We need to get through the town square undetected, and make it to the TV station before the airing. Zone, you three know Timber better than us, so how can we get there in time without the local train?"

"That one will be tricky, especially if they identify us." Zone answered, then paused in thought for moment.

"We won't be able to hide in any of the local stores," Rinoa stated, "They're bound to have soldiers searching anywhere we can hide easily."

"Well, why don't we just take a straight shot to the TV station?" Selphie commented, "We might be able to slide through if we move fast."

"I doubt it," Zone dismissed Selphie's idea, "Three armored vehicles and a brigade of soldiers have blocked off the main road that leads to the station. Presidential security is always top notch."

"Especially when they're waiting for an altercation," Rinoa informed her.

"Yeah, and I'm bettin' that it wasn't just standard security measures that stopped these trains from runnin'." Zell noted.

Squall had been thinking the same thing. They were probably shut down to prevent whoever attacked the president's escort from making their way around Timber easily. The president's men obviously were aware of the Forest Owl's train, but shutting down the local lines would slow them down a great deal.

"I was thinking that too. If they cut off our main source of transportation, it's easier to contain us," Squall noted, "Not good."

"There has to be another way!" Zell stated, kicking a stack of old tires he was standing next to.

"I heard there is a back alley shortcut that leads to the TV station behind one of the local pubs," Watts informed the group, "But Timber has so many of them, it could take all day to find."

"That's time we don't have," Squall replied, "Is there anyone who might know?"

Rinoa shrugged, and looked to Zone, "Zone, you've lived here your whole life, do you have any idea?"

"No," Zone answered to their dismay, "Sorry, I don't know much about the pubs. Maybe if…" Zone continued, before a couple of gruff, Galbadian voices from an alley just ahead gained their attention.

Squall treaded softly across the alley, which was covered in scattered gravel and broken glass, and peeked around the corner, spotting two G-Army soldiers standing in the back of the alley, and backed up against a rusted fence was one of the members of the Timber militia, who was being harassed by the armed men. After a moment, Squall felt a tug on his arm, turning to see Rinoa standing there with a worried look on her face.

"Squall, that's my friend Jerod…we have to help him! He supports the resistance and has put himself him in danger to help us several times. I know you could care less what happens to him, but he's my friend, and I say we help!"

Squall shrugged after hearing her comment, making reference to how insensitive she obviously thought he was. _Did she think he was so cold he would allow the vulnerable man to be possibly killed?_ It sure sounded that way.

Rinoa mistook Squall's hesitation as a refusal, and decided to take matters into her own hands, "Fine!" she countered with restrained anger, and began walking to the alley. Before she could sound off to the soldiers, Squall grabbed her arm, and pulled her behind the rusted dumpster, and placed a finger over his lips, signaling her to keep quiet. He slowly stood up and peeked over the dumpster to observe what was going on.

"You tell us what we wanna know, and we won't break your legs!" a higher ranking enlisted soldier shouted in Jerod's face.

"I don't know, I tell you!" Jerod denied his involvement in any faction activity, "I'm a member of the militia, I do not support the resistance!"

"Don't lie to me!" the older soldier again demanded, "Everyone here supports the resistance, even the Timber military. You guys are such fools. Just imagine how much this place would thrive if you were loyal to us. This place is gonna be stuck in the backwoods forever."

"...And you? Are you happy with your life?" Jerod snapped back, seeming like a completely different person as he stood, spine straight with his eyes locked with the soldiers. "…Blindly following orders everyday, doing things you probably don't believe in? So what if we're undeveloped. We're not looking to thrive. All we want is to be able to stand on our own feet; to be independent and live according to what we believe."

Jerod continued as Squall watched on, looking at Rinoa to see tears in her eyes, obviously proud of her friend. It was that moment Squall realized just how passionate they were at returning Timber to its once graceful roots.

"You guys will probably never understand, having thrown away your pride and dignity. We're not the fools, you are!" Squall watched as Jerod finished. The soldier had no refutation or smart comment to contest Jerod's powerful statement, and began to seethe with anger after being humiliated by a local militia member in front of his subordinate.

"How dare you!" the man muttered scornfully through his grit teeth. He quickly armed his handgun, and took aim at Jerod's head, "For your crimes against the president, and the country of Galbadia, I sentence you…to death!" he shouted angrily as he decided to take the roles of judge, jury and executioner.

"What? We can't kill him sir!" the young Galbadian soldier stated.

"Don't question my authority private, unless you want to spend your career cleaning the latrines!" he scolded the young man, and then looked back at Jerod, biting his lip. "I'm gonna enjoy this!" he maliciously snarled, placing his finger on the trigger. Jerod closed his eyes, sobbing and breathing in what he believed to be his final breaths.

Just as Squall was about to take action, he looked over, realizing Rinoa had already ran out from behind the dumpster, and was approaching the men.

"Rinoa!" Squall called over, trying to stop her, but to no avail.

"Hey," Rinoa yelled just before the bullet was about to be discharged, "Leave him alone, you jerks!" she demanded, and the soldiers turned and pointed there guns at Rinoa. She froze in fear, but they soon lowered their guns after seeing only a single teenage girl, who posed no threat to them.

"Well what do we have here?" the older soldier grinned as he approached her, and Rinoa slowly backed away from the brute soldier.

"Stay back!" she demanded, and turned to run, but was quickly grabbed by the soldier, "Let me go!" she shouted, struggling to free herself as he grabbed both her arms and pulled her closer.

"You're a pretty little thing!" he commented in a proactive voice, chuckling through his coffee stained teeth as he moved in as if to kiss her. Before he did so, he stopped, and looked as if something were wrong.

"Hey, you look familiar…" he said, trying to place where he remembered her from, but before he could do so, Squall finally stepped out from behind the dumpster.

"Let her go!" he demanded, as the soldier released his grip on Rinoa, and reached for his gun. Squall in most cases would have engaged in conflict before the enemy could get a shot of, but he didn't want to chance Rinoa being shot, so he grabbed her arm and pulled her back behind the dumpster.

The soldier fired two shots toward them, but the metal dumpster repelled the bullets. "Voyt, back me up!" he demanded to his subordinate, who reluctantly armed his assault rifle, and followed his superior.

"Come out with your hands up, or you are both going to die!" the soldier demanded, and when they didn't comply, the soldier quickly armed his rifle, and pointed at the dumpster. "You asked for it!"

Before he could pull the trigger, a voice blared out from further up ahead, "Hey assclown!" the voice shouted, startling the soldier as he fired into the alley even though no one was in sight. Even if Squall hadn't recognized the voice, he would've known just by the comment that it was Zell.

"Who's there…show yourself?" the soldier demanded.

Zell stepped out from behind the building, holding a heavy, steel sewer plate, walking right into the line of fire. Just as the man pulled the trigger, Zell winded around and used Ifrit's strength to toss the plate like a frisbee towards the soldier, and quickly dived behind the wall for cover. Before the soldier could react, the plate struck him dead on in the throat, with a sickening crunch following the blow that undoubtedly crushed his windpipe. The man flew back a few feet and hit the ground, struggling to find air before finally passing on.

Squall immediately stepped out from behind the dumpster and checked the fallen soldier's pulse, only to make sure he was no longer a threat. Looking up, he noticed the young soldier was standing before them, stunned, before finally raising his gun again, obviously frightened for his life.

"Stay back!" he demanded as the rifle shook in his hands.

Squall didn't want to have to take the young mans life, but if he pulled the trigger, he wouldn't have a choice. Before he could find a way to safely neutralize the threat, he got a little help from Jerod, who pulled out his taser and planted it into the soldiers neck, sending currents of electricity through his body, incapacitating him. Being that both threats had been neutralized, Rinoa, and the rest of the group rushed towards Jerod, who had fallen back against the fence.

"Jerod," Rinoa asked worriedly, kneeling next to him, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he nodded, clutching his side as Rinoa looked over him, "Just a little shaken up."

"What happened?" she questioned.

"I came back here to take a smoke break, and I guess they followed me," he began, "These G-Army soldiers aren't all bad, but a lot of them are avid supporters of Deling, and they hate the citizens of Timber and us militia. I have a few buddies who have been beaten savagely by these hoodlums, and they never get reprimanded or discharged. It's all a joke to these bastards!"

"Why is the local militia even involved?" Squall questioned, finding it a bit odd, "Doesn't Deling's order supercede the local militia, and give the G-Army full jurisdiction over Timber?"

Jerod nodded, "They activated us to take care of the local problems, anything unrelated to the resistance, but the soldiers make it so hard for us, there isn't anything we can do. They harass citizens, cause riots, get in drunken brawls...the president wants us to believe he is trying to end the chaos, but I think he is trying to fuel it until Timber destroys itself!"

Everyone went silent after hearing Jerod's statement. After all, it was quite obvious even to Squall the G-Army was doing more harm than good, but if they were going to have any chance at driving the Galbadian military out, they would have to get to the president, which wouldn't be easy. Squall checked the time, realizing they needed to move fast if they wanted to make it the TV station before airtime.

"Well, we have to keep moving," Squall informed the group, "We have less than three hours to get to the TV station, and find a way inside."

"The TV station?" Jerod inquired, and Squall nodded, "That won't be easy considering all the local lines are down, and even if you do get there, presidential security has blanketed the North District, and the TV station will be totally inaccessible."

"You leave that to us," Squall told him, "Now, I was told there might be a shortcut that can get us there by foot. Do you know where it is?"

"Oh, the Blacksteets," Jerod affirmed, which was good news for the group, "They were used during the war to help citizens escape the city. They…"

"We don't need a history lesson," Squall interrupted harshly, "Do you know where it is or not?"

Jerod, who seemed a little offended, nodded and continued, "Yeah, it's behind Emmit's Pub, near the TimberManiacs building. It's about five mile walk from there to the station, but that back-road is probably the fastest way of getting there on foot. But you'll have to be careful, lots of soldiers often frequent that place."

"We'll manage," Squall stated and turned, not wasting any time, "Let's go."

"Zone and Watts," Rinoa began, looking at her two colleagues, "Get Jerod some help, and then stay back and gather whatever info you can." Both nodded, and walked over to assist Jerod.

"Yes princess," Watts said as he and Zone helped Jerod to his feet, "We won't let you down." Rinoa nodded, and followed the SeeD's back down the alley, headed for Emmit's Pub.

* * *

**Wednesday, May 3rd 4268/**

**0924 hrs**

For the most part, Garden was going about its daily routine, but in the deployment bay just south of the infirmary, things were a bit more hectic than usual. The SeeD engineers prepared the aircraft for deployment, which would be used in the mission to recapture fugitive cadet, Seifer Almasy. The SeeD field operatives involved in the mission were mustering and standing in a uniform line, awaiting the arrival of their squad leader, Commander Jeseph Brak. He hadn't been directly involved in field work in over four years, but he was still more than capable of taking care of himself.

Brak walked down the hallway, capturing the attention of everyone he passed along the way. His distinct walk and bombastic posture was befitting of a man of his rank as Commander of the infamous SeeD unit. Entering the deployment bay, Brak's eyes scanned the entire area, ensuring everyone was doing what they were supposed to. Just as he prepared to walk over and brief his men, his eyes caught glimpse of his superior, Headmaster Kramer, standing off to the side overlooking the mission preparations.

"Headmaster," Brak greeted as he walked up, and saluted the Headmaster, "What brings you down here? Everything is taken care of." Brak assured him as he dropped his salute.

"I trust it is, Commander." Cid nodded, "I just wanted to wish you good luck on your mission."

Brak faintly laughed, "Well, that is very thoughtful, but unnecessary. The mission will be a success."

"Jeseph," Cid stated, and walked closer to Commander Brak, who was taken a bit off guard, "I can't begin to stress to you how important it is to bring Seifer back here alive. Only use lethal force if _absolutely_ necessary."

Commander Brak nodded, but already had his mind made about Seifer's ultimate fate. He sided with the Garden faculty on the decision that Seifer was no longer worth the trouble, and needed to be put out of Garden's misery once and for all. What Brak couldn't understand though, is why the Headmaster was so adamant about helping Seifer? What did he see that no one else did? After all, he gave the headmaster more headaches over the years than anyone, so why did he continually give Seifer second chances he didn't deserve?

"Headmaster, you have my word," Brak told him and laid a hand on his shoulder, "I'll do everything I can to bring him back to Garden safely." Brak blatantly lied to the Headmaster, and looked up to see one of the Garden faculty members standing behind Cid.

The Headmaster looked up momentarily, seeing Brak smiling at someone in the background. Cid turned to see one of the Garden faculty member walking out of the hanger bay. He didn't know what to make of it, but if Brak was corresponding with the faculty behind his back, he knew it couldn't have been good. In the midst of his thoughts, Brak's voice alerted him once again.

"Headmaster?" Brak questioned, snapping Cid back to reality.

"Oh, pardon me," Cid excused himself, but troubling afterthoughts still lingered in his mind.

"We have to be leaving if we are to reach Timber before noon," the Commander informed and Cid nodded.

"Alright," he replied, and exchanged salutes with Brak, "Godspeed Commander!" Cid wished him well, and the Commander nodded with a smile, and proceeded to head towards his men.

Cid watched as the men shot to attention, awaiting the Commander's orders. He didn't know what it was, but Brak seemed a little more devious than usual. He knew that Brak and NORG had conducted business behind his back on previous occasions, but this time it dealt with something important to him, and he wasn't about to let them make executive decisions without him. He wasn't sure what their plan was exactly, but he had a feeling that whatever it was, it wouldn't work out well for Seifer.

Cid observed the brief for a few more moments, until it commenced and the SeeD's began to board the aircraft. Brak had boarded first, so Cid took the opportunity to look for a SeeD operative he could trust to be his eyes and ears on the mission. He finally picked one out of the group he was confident in, and made his move.

It was now a chess match between Cid and NORG.

* * *

**Wenesday, May 3rd 4268/**

**0939 hrs**

The three SeeD's and Rinoa had nearly reached Emmit's Pub, after quickly, but carefully making their way through the business district. It seemed unusually vacant of soldiers, but Squall chalked it up to the fact that many were called to strengthen the perimeter around the TV station, which meant it would be just that much harder to get to Deling.

The group finally reached another one of Timber's dilapidated stone stairwells, which led down to a group of old fruit and meat markets, and more importantly, Emmit's Pub. As they reached the bottom of the staircase, Rinoa stopped after seeing a blue Galbadian uniform.

"There is a Galbadian soldier guarding the door," she told them quietly and the group looked up, observing the man, "What should we do?"

Upon further observation, it was apparent that the man was not a G-Army soldier, at least, not anymore. The older man in his late forties was stumbling around in an old Galbadian uniform, stained with filth and dried vomit. He downed a gulp from the bottle of Mimmet whiskey he held in his right hand, as streams of the liquor flowed out from his mouth and through his thick grey beard.

"I don't think this guy is going to give us much of a problem," Squall commented and continued up towards the door. The old man stared at the group with a cocked eye, looking suspicious, as well as incoherent.

"Drunk on duty?" Zell commented to the intoxicated veteran standing in their way, "Not very professional."

"Not…_hic_…so fast!" he said raising his arm, almost falling over as he did, "I c-can't let you p…pa…pass."

"You're interfering with important business. You can move, or get you're ass kicked. Either way is fine with me!" Zell stated, cracking his knuckles.

"C'mmmon," the man said with a belch, his breath as lethal as any weapon he might have been carrying. He put his hands up and stumble forth, "Bea' you up goo' I will!"

Zell knew that it would be unfair to rough up the old man who was more than twice his age, and a bottle of whiskey away from being in a coma. He instead swiped the bottle of Mimmet from the old man, held it up, and tossed it into a nearby garbage can.

"Fetch!" Zell told him.

"HEEEYYYYYYYY!" he slurred drunkenly and wobbled towards the garbage can. After watching the man dig through the wrong garbage can for a moment, the group made their way inside the pub.

Once inside, they were surprised by how stylish it was. The walls were colored dark violet with colorful abstract designs decorating the wall, and the dim lighting gave the restaurant a shadowy look. There were several tables, a small stage and a bar with several stools with torn leather seat cushions. The floor and stage area seemed to have been damaged, most likely by drunken soldiers causing trouble. Whatever the reason, the pub was a wreck.

"Damn," Zell stated, stepping over some empty beer cans and bottles, "You'd think they'd tidy up a little."

Rinoa shook her head, "The Galbadian soldiers keep wrecking it. I don't blame them for…" Rinoa was explaining until she felt an arm wrap around her neck. She screamed as she noticed a gun mounted on the arm of her captor, which was being pointed at the three SeeD's. Just as Squall turned, he noticed not only the Galbadian officer restraining Rinoa, but another enlisted soldier walking out from the shadows, pointing an assault rifle at the group.

"Freeze!" the officer demanded, keeping his right arm around Rinoa and his gun-arm on Squall, "Thought some of you resistance members might let your guard down and come in here."

"Throw your weapons on the ground!" the enlisted soldier yelled, as Squall slowly unsheathed his gunblade and placed it on the ground, as Selphie did the same with her nanchakus. They both placed their hands on their head, and waited for the soldiers' next command.

Moments later, the barkeep stepped out from the backroom, cleaning a mug, and noticed the predicament in the front, "Hey, take it outside. No fighting in my bar!" he demanded in a heavy foreign accent.

"Shut up old man!" the enlisted soldier replied, pointing at the barkeep.

"Timber will always be a shitty place thanks to you damn factions. Always causin' trouble for us hard working troops." the officer insisted, as Squall looked for a way to help Rinoa.

"How can you say that?" Rinoa answered, "You know what you're doing is wrong!"

The enlisted soldier laughed, "Tell that to the General!" he stated, and proceeded to call for backup via radio.

"Maybe I will!" Rinoa yelled back, and Squall looked at her, wondering what she meant. Meeting the General of the G-Army wouldn't be a good thing, especially if they could prove it was them who attacked the presidential escort the day prior. Although, Rinoa seemed like she was more than willing to tell the General how she felt.

"When the reinforcements get here, we're haul your sorry asses off to jail," the officer informed them, "And if you happen to be the group responsible for that attack against the president, well, chances are you'll be executed under his orders." He finished, but seconds later heard the sound of a shotgun being cocked next to his head.

Looking over, the officer noticed the barkeep standing next to his with his finger on the trigger of a sawed-off shotgun. "Don't move!" he demanded to the officer calmly, but sternly.

"You don't have the balls old man!" the officer stated, not moving a muscle, "Drop the gun or I'll have him kill you!" he finished, as the barkeep looked over to see the enlisted soldier with an assault rifle pointed at him. After a moment, the barkeep still did not lower his gun, and the officer decided he'd had enough.

"Rayburn, kill him!" the officer ordered his subordinate, who prepared to pull the trigger.

Squall decided it was time to intervene, and immediately focused on his speed junctions. With Quezacotl's speed and agility, he raced over and pushed the barrel away from its intended target, but the soldier still managed to get a shot off, which struck the barkeep in the left shoulder. He dropped the gun and fell over, as Squall quickly disarmed the soldier, and placed his backup blade against his neck.

The officer immediately turned to fire at the barkeep, who was lying on the ground bleeding. Before he could fire however, he spotted Zell approaching quickly fro the corner of his eye. Selphie grabbed Rinoa and they took cover on the floor as the officer turned to fire at Zell. Before he could get his arm around however, Zell grabbed it and pointed it towards the ceiling. The soldier began firing, causing grains of wood from the roof to rain down on them.

After Zell was able to establish his footing, he pulled the officer's arm down, and used Ifrit's strength to tear the shooting mechanism clean from the arm. He followed up with a crushing knee to the unprotected sternum of the officer, and finished with a series of powerful right jabs, which crushed the officer's visor, put several dents in his metal helmet, and in the process most likely cracked his skull. Either way, the officer was incapacitated.

"Call off your backup…now!" Squall ordered to the enlisted soldier, "And don't try to use any distress signals or codes, because I know them all."

The soldier seemed reluctant at first, but eventually decided not to chance being killed, "Four-one-three, this is four-two-zero, belay my last transmission, false alarm. Over."

"You'll never get out of here alive, you're…" the soldier began to explain, but Squall didn't care to hear what the soldier had to say, and spun him around, chopped him in the neck, and knocked him out cold. After handcuffing the soldier, Squall retrieved his gunblade and walked over to Zell, Selphie and Rinoa, who were attending to the barkeep.

"How is he?" Squall asked.

"It just grazed him," Selphie, who was the medical guru of the three, informed Squall, "Nothing serious."

"Sir," Squall kneeled over to the barkeep, "I need to know what door in here leads to the backroads that lead out of town."

The man's face went flush, and he shook his head after hearing Squall's inquiry "I don't know what you're talking about," he replied, obvious that he was withholding information.

"Please, sir," Rinoa kneeled down, and rested a hand on his shoulder, "We are part of the resistance. We're only trying to help."

The man looked a bit reticent, appearing unsure of whether or not he could trust the strangers. Only trusted citizens of Timber were granted access to the Blackstreets, and the information was not to be shared with anyone, in fear that the information could find its way into the wrong hands. But, the man somehow knew that the group before him was trustworthy, and more than that, he wanted the G-Army out of Timber as well. His once modest, yet prosperous pub had been infested with swashbuckling soldiers from the day they invaded Timber, and it had only gotten worse.

The man took a deep breath, hoping he wasn't making a mistake.

"It is in the very back of the storage room, boarded up and chained shut. You can't miss it," he told them, and then took off a chain he was wearing around his neck, and handed it to Rinoa, "You'll need this key to unlock it."

"Thank you," Rinoa smiled and replied, and then walked into the back with the trio of SeeD's. They continued through the back of the bar and then into the dark storage room, with the only light coming from the cracks in the ceiling. The group coughed and struggled to see though the cloud of dust and dirt particles that lingered in the air, bumping into boxes of liquor and wine as they made their way to the door.

"Hold it!" a voice called out, alerting all of them. Squall armed his gunblade and turned quickly, only to see older man, dressed in tattered green clothing, sitting in front of a door that had several planks of wood nailed in front of it, which in all likelihood was the door that led to the backroads. The group walked over, but the man stood up, reeking of boos and looking absolutely disheveled, and stopped them.

"Where do you think you're goin'?" he questioned, poking Squall in the chest with his dirty index finger. The man was obviously homeless, and had set up camp in the back. Squall wasn't totally without sympathy though, which is why he didn't simply move the man himself.

"We need to get through," Squall told him.

"Is that right. Well I need a lot of things! Money…a house…a wife, but life isn't so kind!" the vagabond shouted, "So here I am, rotting away, watching Deling run us into the ground, while you damn factions run around pretending you're actually doing some good. You're nothing but a bunch of hypocrites, and you're probably working for that bastard undercover. So I sit here, watching this all happen…and now I'm getting dissed by some punk kid! Now, make yourself useful and get me drink!" he yelled and crossed his arms, not budging an inch.

Squall, knowing that they didn't have the time to be quarreling with the man, moved forward, planning to remove the man with force, but felt as a hand wrapped around his bicep. Looking back, Rinoa had once again stopped him.

"No, Squall! Let me talk to him," she asked. Squall nodded, but wouldn't hesitate to move in if the man refused again.

"Sir," Rinoa began in a soft, compassionate voice, "I know it doesn't appear the resistance factions are doing much, but we are trying. We strive and strive so that Timber can flourish like it once did. There are so many times I just want to break down and quit, after seeing people like you; people who have lost faith, and already given up. We all keep going though, and even though you, and many others already have given up, I won't…ever. So please, move so that we can at least try to make Timber beautiful again."

The man began tearing up after hearing Rinoa's heartfelt speech, and shook his head, "Aww, I never meant to be an asshole, and I haven't given up on Timber, I've given up on myself. I'll move for you, but I do have a favor to ask of you. I want to see Timber like it once was before I die." He pleaded, and then moved aside.

"Please, grant my wish," he finished and bowed his head, ashamed at what he had become. Rinoa walked up to the man, and placed his slender fingers around his stubby ones, and smiled

"We'll try our best," she promised him, as Squall and Zell ripped away the planks that blocked the exit, unlocked the chains and opened the door.

Their path was set, but they needed to move quickly.

* * *

**Wednesday, May 3rd 4268/**

**1142 hrs**

The night had slowly passed inside the chocobo carriage that was transporting Seifer and Quistis to Timber. Neither talked nor looked at one another during the course of the trip, both keeping their thoughts and feelings to themselves. The few times Quistis did glance Seifer's way, she noticed a look, a certain vulnerability she had never seen in him before. If she didn't know better, she'd think Seifer was actually _scared_. _Seifer_ and _scared _didn't roll off the tongue smoothly.

Seifer, who was fiddling with his gunblade, as he was the entire night, looked at his watch, noticing the time. He quickly leaned over and glanced out of the cabin window, seeing the rundown city of Timber just below. After mentally complimenting his impeccable timing, he spoke for the first time since the night before.

"Hey Bill," Seifer called out.

"Ahoy Seifer," Choco Bill exclaimed, seemingly exuberant despite lack of sleep.

"How far are we from the TV Station?" he asked.

"It's just ahead Seifer. Is that where you'd like me to land?" he questioned. Seifer knew there would undoubtedly be a few guards posted on the roof, so landing there wouldn't be the brightest idea.

"No," Seifer told him as he skimmed over a map of Timber, noticing a small envelope factory that was located a few rooftops west of the TV station. "No, the rooftop to the envelope factory will do just fine." Seifer explained, and began gathering his belongings and preparing to disembark. Quistis just sat there, watching him get ready to possibly commit suicide if his intentions were to indeed circumvent the TV station where the president of Galbadia was located. Seifer gave Quistis a long, steadfast glance before Bill's voice cried out in warning.

"Hang on!" Bill abruptly cautioned as they made a quick decent, tossing both Seifer and Quistis around like rag dolls. Within moments, the chocobo carriage and the passengers in tow landed safely on the rooftop of the old factory. Seifer immediately looked over to make sure Quistis was not hurt. She looked upset, and had every right to be, but appeared to be unharmed.

They both momentarily climbed out from the cabin, and stretched their aching joints after the elongated trip. Seifer dusted and smoothed out the wrinkles on his trench coat, then turned his head to see Bill trip out of the front of the cabin with dark circles under his eyes and hair knotted and sticking straight up.

"Whoa! Sorry bout the rough landing!" he exclaimed, getting less than pleasant expressions from both of his passengers, "So, uhh, will you be needin' a ride back, Seifer?" he asked. After another aggravated glare at Choco Bill, Seifer reaching into his inside coat pocket and pulled out a wrinkled white envelope which contained Bill's payment, and smacked it into Bill's chest.

"No, beat it." Seifer ordered, and turned, grabbed Quistis by the arm, and began walking towards the next rooftop.

"Alrighty, call me anytime you need me!" Bill yelled as he hopped back into the cabin. After watching Bill depart, Seifer looked in the distance. The TV Station was about five rooftops ahead, and with Guardian junctions, leaping from rooftop to rooftop wouldn't present much of a challenge. He took a deep breath, and began speaking to Quistis who stodd behind him with her arms crossed.

"Well, I sure hope you're ready for what's about to go down. This is gonna put me on the map," Seifer informed her, and turned to face her, "Who needs SeeD?"

"Seifer I don't know exactly what you're planning, but I beg you to reconsider!" she pleaded. She wanted to help him, but he wouldn't let her. _This was suicide_, plain and simple. She knew it, but did he?

"Oh Quistis, you know I cannot be so easily swayed." He told her and set his sight on the TV Station, "Let's go," he ordered. Seifer took a few steps back, and then made a leap over the next rooftop, using his junctions to strengthen his legs. He didn't even look back to check on Quistis. Truth is, he didn't need her anymore. She played her role in getting him that far, but somehow, Seifer knew she wasn't about to let him run off without her.

He was _absolutely_ right.

Seifer continued leaping from one rooftop to another, with Quistis just a few steps behind him. Seifer had so many thoughts running through his mind in a perpetual loop, from Squall's status to how exactly he planned to get past presidential security. He actually had to stop a few times to regain his focus, to assure he didn't fall short and plummet to serious injury.

Moment's later they arrived at the rooftop just next to the TV station. He and Quistis quietly made their way across and surveyed the area. They were both well aware of all G-Army tactics including sniper positions and security protocols. It seemed as if snipers were not called in for this task, which was odd, considering the threat level and how many people in Timber despised Deling.

The streets around the station were flooded with Galbadian soldiers and secret service, just waiting to move in on anything. They would have to make their jumps quick and timely if they wanted to avoid detection, which could prove to be quite the task. The rooftop was also being guarded by five members of presidential security, who were trained much better than standard soldiers. Five would be hard to handle even with Quistis at his side, but it would be impossible to take on all of the backup they would promptly call on. He knew he had to figure out something, but was running short on time. He made a promise, and nothing was going to prevent him from fulfilling it.

As much as he hated to admit it, he needed Quistis' help right about now. She had taught him a lot of what he knew about diversionary tactics, so if anyone could think of something in the spur of the moment, it was her. But before Seifer could even open his mouth to ask, Quistis tapped him on the shoulder as he looked up.

"Get ready to jump," she said to his surprise.

"What?" he asked in bewilderment. She did not answer with words; instead, she focused on an unsuspecting soldier about thirty yards ahead who was standing patrol in the middle of the street. Seconds later, Quistis cast her arms forward, hoping the spell would reach its intended target. Her hands glowed dark red as she continued to focus, Seifer still oblivious as to what her plan was exactly.

Suddenly, Seifer watched as a patrolling soldier began to twitch, at first just a little, and then intensely. Then, out of nowhere, the soldier vomited, garnering some extra attention, but still not enough. Quistis held up a finger, signaling Seifer to wait a moment. They watched as a few other soldiers walked over to help the apparently ill serviceman, when shockingly the soldier raised his rifle and began shooting haphazardly. This caused chaos and uproar as all surrounding personnel took evasive action. The presidential security immediately vacated their positions on the roof to make sure the president was safe.

"Now!" Quistis gave the go ahead as both quickly jumped to the roof of the TV station, landing just a moment before several soldiers shot down the manic soldier. Seifer looked back after landing, still confused as to what happened. Quistis, who was once again one step ahead of him, quenched his thirst for an explanation.

"I poisoned, blinded, and confused him. I knew it would ultimately get him killed…" she stated, seeming disappointed with herself, "…but what else could I do? It was all I could think of."

Seifer shrugged, "Sacrifices must be made for the greater good. You did what had to be done," he told her, and then looked at his watch, noticing they were mere minutes from airtime. "Let's go."

"No," she refused, "I'm not moving another step until you tell me your plan! I deserve that much." she insisted. Seifer mulled it over for a moment, then shrugged and decided to give her what she wanted.

"Well, since it doesn't really matter anymore, I guess it couldn't hurt," he told her, and then cleared his throat like he had something important to say, "Good ole Vinzy Deling is right below us as we speak, about to deliver a television broadcast to the entire world!"

Quistis shrugged, "I know that Seifer, but what's this have to do with you?"

"It has nothing to do with me personally," Seifer stated, "It's for a…_friend_."

"You, helping someone else out?" Quistis laughed at the farfetched notion,"I find that hard to believe."

Seifer shrugged, not at all surprised by her response, "Well, in any event, I have a few demands I need to be met."

"To the president? Do you have a death wish?" Quistis asked him, as Seifer looked her square in the eye, and responded with malice in his voice.

"He will comply!" he demanded, his eyes telling her all she needed to know.

"You don't mean? You came to assassinate him?"

"That's not the plan," Seifer told her, "But I won't think twice if he doesn't see eye to eye with me."

While it was slightly reassuring to hear that he did not come with the soul intent of killing the president, Quistis knew that Deling would not accede to Seifer's demands. She didn't know who he was helping or why, but she didn't want to see him throw his life away so carelessly. Seifer always thought he was invincible, too cocky and arrogant to admit that he was human with real flaws and weaknesses, but she knew she couldn't protect him anymore. The decision was his to make.

"Seifer I'm begging you," Quistis asked, looking at Seifer with caring eyes, hoping that for once in his life, he'd trust her, "Please…"

Seifer breathed deeply, and glanced over to Quistis. He couldn't understand why she was continually negligent to the fact that nothing she could say would prevent him from carrying out his plan. _Was it care? No, how could it be?_ He treated her with such insolence and had given her so many headaches over the years; he figured she'd be the first to feed him to the wolves.

Just as Seifer opened his mouth to reply, the door that led down to the news studio opened. Him and Quistis watched as three armed Galbadian soldiers walked through, laughing and shoving each other in good fun, until they sighted the two unknown personnel who had no business being where they were.

"Hey, what is this?" one of the G-Army soldiers shouted as the other two immediately raised their rifles. Quistis raised her arms in the air, as Seifer just stood there with his arms crossed, looking at them as if he were unimpressed.

"You are compromising Galbadian national security; we have the authority to fire at will!" another Galbadian soldier warned them.

"We are with Balamb Garden!" Quistis stated, as Seifer looked over to her with wide eyes, "We have reason to believe one of our personnel may be involved in the attempt on the presidential escort yesterday," she informed the soldier, who immediately noticed her SeeD pin. He knew Balamb Garden and the G-Army weren't necessarily on good terms, but he knew SeeD would never willingly involve themselves in such a high-profile international incident.

"Okay," the soldier nodded and lowered his weapon, "Winslow, go let Colonel Pollo know we…" he began to tell his subordinate, but was interrupted as Seifer pulled him over and wrapped an arm around his neck, using him as a shield from the other soldiers, then quickly unsheathed Hyperion.

"Seifer, no!" Quistis shouted, shocked that he would even attempt such an asinine stunt.

"I'm sorry Quistis, I didn't come all this way just to fail." He told Quistis, and then spoke into the captive soldier's ear, "Now, walk!" Seifer demanded as the two other soldiers kept their rifles steadily on him, waiting for a clear shot.

"You're only making things worse!" Quistis demanded. Seifer slowly made his way towards the door to the studio, but was surprised as the door opened once again, and watched as a neatly groomed man in a black suit walked out, not looking very happy.

"What the fuck is going on here?" the man asked in a heated voice. Seifer then watched as four more men in black suits walked out, undoubtedly members of Galbadian secret service and presidential security.

"We were told to cover your posts until you returned, and…" one of the other Galbadian soldiers replied, but was abruptly cut off.

"And you couldn't even do that!" the head agent of presidential security stated with frustration, then pulled out a modified double-action semiautomatic with a silencer.

"They blindsided us, and he took Sergeant Ellis hostage…" the soldier began again, but like the first time, was not allowed to finish.

"You incompetent pieces of shit! You constantly fuck things up, and we have to fix it…" the agent said and shook his head, "Well, I for one am tired of it!" he stated, and without warning raised his gun and shot the soldier Seifer was using as cover square in the forehead. The armor-piercing bullet easily tore threw the steel-plated helmet. Seifer dropped the corpse and looked at the agent, who simply smiled.

"What the hell did you do, you..." one of the other soldiers started to scream after watching the agent kill his friend, but him and the other soldier soon joined him in the afterlife as the other agents took them out immediately.

"Giles check this out..." the agent called over another agent named Giles, and pointed at Seifer, "Just some punk kid," he said as both laughed. Seifer grit his teeth and clenched his fist, which cued Quistis to intervene before Seifer got himself killed.

"Look, my name is Quistis Trepe, I am a SeeD from Balamb Garden. If you would just contact Cid Kramer, I'm sure he can explain the situation." Quistis informed them, hoping Cid could pull some strings and bail Seifer out again. The agent looked at her for a moment without saying a word, then looked over to another agent and nodded. Quistis' brow narrowed in curiosity, then looked to right, and watched as one of agents slammed the butt of his gun into her sternum, knocking the breath out of her and causing her to fall to her knees.

Seifer's eyes lit with rage and he took a step forward, but the agent aimed his pistol at Quistis' head, freezing him in his tracks.

"Aww, touching," the agent mocked, then took aim at Seifer's head, "Don't worry, we'll be sure to bury you two lovebirds together!"

Seifer had absolutely no control over the situation, unless he wanted to watch Quistis die and probably get himself killed in the process. Presidential security were not only trained extremely well, but were genetically enhanced to give them abilities that rivaled weaker Guardian Force junctions, and being that Seifer was stillgenerally inexperienced, he didn't have a chance at taking them out by himself.

Seifer had finally run out options. Only Hyne's good graces could save him now._

* * *

_

Wow, it has been a long, long time since I updated! I've actually had this written for quite awhile, but I needed to go back through it. Still probably has a lot of errors, but I don't have time to scrutinize every little grammatical error. Hopefully, there isn't too many though.

Well, I do hope to really see this through now. The college year is coming to an end here very soon, so I should have some more time. I tried working a full time job on top of college, which I won't be doing next semester, so I should once again be able to continue this project which has been slow going for the last 6 months. Hopefully people are still reading and enjoying, and if you do, drop me a review, just to let me know what you think. It'll go along way in motivating me to finish this sucker. Until next chappy…


	19. Chapter XV: Lights Camera Action!

**Chapter XV**

_**Lights…Camera…Action!**_

**Wednesday, May 3rd 4268/**

**1155 hrs**

"Well, you gonna shoot me or not?" Seifer asked impatiently, staring into the barrel of the agent's gun. For some reason, the agent seemed hesitant to pull the trigger as he looked off to the left and right, squinting his eyes as he studied his surroundings.

"Who else is here with you?" the agent blurted out.

"What?"

"SeeD's may work in small numbers, but not this small, especially given the circumstances," the agent elaborated, "So, where is the rest of your party?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not a SeeD!" Seifer answered complacently, "I kidnapped her and was about to dispose of her before you crashed the party. So, you can kill her for all I care," Seifer finished, hoping they'd take the bait and leave Quistis out of it.

"Hmm…somehow, I don't believe you," the head agent told Seifer, before lowering his gun and turning to another agent, and pointed to the injured Quistis, who was on her knees, "Pick her up!" he ordered as two other agents stood Quistis on her feet, and restrained her.

"I'll ask you again…" the agent began as he cocked his gun, "Where is the rest of your party?" he asked. Seifer had no reply. He had no backup. All he had was wrath in his eyes, and a bit of unease about what was about to happen to Quistis.

"Very well," the agent stated after realizing the blonde rebel before him wasn't going to cooperate, and proceeded to aim his gun at Quistis left thigh, and pulled the trigger.

At that distance, with the firepower of that particular pistol and its armor-piercing round, Shiva could do nothing to protect her as the bullet pierced straight through, causing Quistis to fall and cry out in agony. Seifer watched without as much as a flinch as Quistis lied there, blood streaming from her leg into a dark red pool beside her.

Noticing Seifer's lack of emotion, the agent decided to take his interrogation a step further, and placed a heavy foot on her gunshot wound and pressed down. Quistis began to scream out in devastating pain with tears streaming down her face. The agent seemed to enjoy hearing her scream as he continued to put more pressure on her leg, trying to get some type of information out of the young man before him.

"You have the power to end this," the agent informed him, "Obviously, you have no idea of the pain your friend is going through right now. Either that, or you really don't care."

Seifer forced a smile onto his face, "That's what I've been trying to tell you. Comprehension isn't your strongest quality, is it?" Seifer insulted, and the agent laughed, but instantly took his foot off of Quistis' open wound.

"Well, I've been wrong before...but let's make certain," he stated, and the pointed at her again, "Cut her eyes out!"

Seifer's eyes widened as he watched one of the men withdraw a razor sharp switchblade, as two of the other agents held her down. She cried out for help, trying to free herself as she watched the blade approach her right eye.

"Look…" he started, as the head agent held up his hand, stopping his men just before they could carve out her eye sockets, "I told you, I abducted her from Garden, I used her as a hostage, and I came here to get your president! So for the last time, there isn't any god-damn back…" Seifer was about to finish, but was interrupted as one of the agents restraining Quistis was suddenly struck by several powerful bolts of electricity that seemed to have generated from thin air. Seifer was well aware that it was para-magic, but being that neither he nor Quistis had cast it, _who did?_

His question was answered promptly as a small, sleek aircraft slowly rose up from the side of the building, dawning a SeeD logo.

"It's SeeD!" the head agent screamed, "Fire!" he ordered as the other three agents began shooting, and he proceeded to call for backup. The SeeD aircraft was taking heat not only from the agents on the roof, but also from the hundreds of soldiers and agents below. Unfortunately for them, the aircraft was being shielded by a protective magical field, and mere bullets had absolutely no negative effect.

Out of a nowhere, a blinding white light emanated from the aircraft, causing the soldiers to cease fire and shield their eyes. Seifer pulled his coat over his face, unaware of what exactly was going on.

The light gleamed fiercely for nearly half of a minute, temporarily blinding anyone that tried to look directly at it. When the light finally faded, the head agent on the roof uncovered his eyes, noticing the aircraft had completely vanished, but standing in a uniform line before him were eleven individuals, armed with various weapons and ready for action.

The head agent stood up and took a few steps forward, "SeeD!"

The man in the center of the group of SeeD's stepped forward as well, that man being SeeD Commander Jeseph Brak, "Very perceptive…"

The agent let out a small laugh, "Quite the entrance, although I'm not too thrilled with the odds. Let's even things up, shall we?" the agent stated, then spoke into the radio device attached to his collar. Almost on cue, the door that led into the station burst open, while agents and soldiers began to swarm out like locusts. Fifty members of presidential security stood before the eleven SeeD's, with many more ready to file in if needed.

"There," the agent said as he looked around with a smile on his face, "That's better."

Commander Brak looked over the numerous soldiers and agents, who all had their guns drawn, ready to fire at a moments notice. Still, he seemed unimpressed, "Guns are so pedestrian," he stated, and began to pull out two long knives that could cut through steel like soft butter. "Whenever you're ready…"

The head agent snickered, "Those aren't going be much help," he stated, then backed up to join his brigade.

"Fire!" he ordered, as the soldiers and agents began volley, unleashing hundreds of bullets on the eleven SeeD's. They did not move an inch as the onslaught of bullets sped towards them. They all merely held up a hand, creating protective fields of energy that stopped the bullets cold. After a long minute of nonstop gunfire, the gunmen stopped, listening as several bullet casings dinged off the concrete surface of the roof, landing next to the hundreds of other bullets that failed to hit their intended targets.

Moments later, the SeeD's lowered their hands, and Brak stepped forward, "It seems your bullets were useless," he stated, kicking a heaping mound of bullet casings sitting in front of him, then raised his arms and made several hand signals to the other ten SeeD's, then cast his arm forward, "Our move!"

The SeeD's hands glowed light blue as they began casting gusting wind spells, which whipped around and disoriented the soldiers and agents, tossing them around like straw-paper, and even hurled a few of the agents off the roof, eleven stories to the ground below. The SeeD's used that advantage to initiate a melee assault as all eleven charged forth, pulled out their weapons and began taking out the agents and soldiers. There were flashes of magic, and some occasional gunfire, but for the most part, the experienced SeeD's were making easy work of presidential security, despite being heavily outnumbered. Seifer watched as three agents finally took down one of the SeeD's, as a continuous flow of agents came threw the door to replace their fallen colleagues.

While Seifer wanted nothing more than to get in on the action, he knew he still had work to do. Looking down at his watch, he realized he needed to hurry if he wanted to get to the president, who was more than likely on air by now. He knew there was no way he could simply walk down the stairwell due to the influx of agents and soldiers, so he had to find another way, and fast. He turned and looked off the side of the building, noticing a conveniently placed fire escape just below. As Seifer prepared to jump over the side, he suddenly remembered something, or more appropriately; _someone_.

He peeked back over his shoulder, and amongst the chaos spotted Quistis lying on the ground. He was of two minds at that moment; one telling him to head straight for the president, and one telling him to assist Quistis. The latter eventually won out, as Seifer slashed his way through a few G-Army soldiers, hoisted the nearly unconscious Quistis on his shoulder, and headed towards the ledge once again. Just as Seifer was climbing over, a stern voice called out to him.

"Almasy!" the raspy voice yelled and Seifer looked back, spotting Commader Brak standing there with an indomitable glare in his eye.

He watched as two agents attempted take advantage of Brak's distracted state, but was surprised as Brak plunged a knife into each of their necks, without once taking his eyes off of his target. Seifer, who knew there was no way he could take on Brak by himself, simply waved cockily, jumped down to the fire escape below with Quistis in tow, and entered the door. He hoped that the agents would hold back Brak long enough so he could grab Deling and get out.

Upon entering, he sat Quistis down against wall, and examined her wound. She was incoherent due to the blinding pain she was in, so much so she hadn't even gathered enough sense to cure herself or take a potion. Seifer wasn't sure how much a simple cure spell was going to help at this point, but he knew it couldn't have hurt. He wasn't very experienced with curative magic, but knew enough about how to stop the bleeding and ease the pain a little. He had managed to coagulate the blood and clot the wound, but hoped that a medic or someone would eventually find her and help her. After giving her a final glance, he proceeded down the stairwell next to him, and began searching for the studio the president was in.

It wasn't hard to find, since there was two Galbadian enlisted soldiers guarding the door labeled '**_Studio C'_**. Seifer was fortunate that most of the personnel were busy with the other SeeD's on the roof, and he was confident that with his junctions and magical capabilities, he could easily dispose of the soldiers. Spotting a spare camera off to the side, Seifer quickly came up with a plan on how he could get closer.

Seifer casually walked around the corner and down the hallway, towards the soldiers guarding the back entrance to studio C. He did his best to hide his gunblade under his jacket, buttoned it up, and carried the television camera in his hand, pretending as if he were in a hurry.

"Excuse me," Seifer called out, alerting the two soldiers who were conversing rather than following watch procedures, "I'm looking for studio C?" he asked, sounding as if he were lost.

Both soldiers immediately raised their rifles at the unknown man, "Drop the camera, and put your hands on your head, now!" he screamed as Seifer, who was pretending to be scared as he complied.

"Don't shoot…I was sent by Dollet Broadcasting, I'm sorry I'm late, but it was hard to get through downstairs!" Seifer pleaded, sounding genuinely frightened.

"We weren't informed that they let anyone through!" the soldier demanded, "And if you are media, where is your press pass?"

"It was a last minute thing!" Seifer quickly responded, "I have a card, it's in my left breast pocket if you want to check," he told him. The soldier slowly walked over, reached into the strangers pocket, took out a small plastic card, and backed up a bit before reading it.

"_Good for three free lap dances a Rowdy Nights strip club?_" he read, and looked back up at Seifer, "What is this, a joke?"

Seifer shrugged, "What, that's not good enough?" he cockily asked as he speedily grabbed the barrel of the gun, and forcefully pulled the soldier toward him, delivering a powerful closeline that flipped the soldier in the air, breaking his neck.

The second soldier just next to him pulled back the trigger, sending a slew of bullets screaming at Seifer. He leaned back, watching as they streamed past his face, just barely missing. He fell back, using his left arm to balance himself as he flipped backwards, kicking the aim of the automatic rifle towards the roof. Seifer lunged over quickly, took the combat knife from the soldier's leg-strap, and plunged it into his chest, killing him almost immediately.

After the two soldiers were successfully handled, Seifer inched open the door to studio C, and peeked in. Inside the next room, Seifer finally laid eyes upon the man he had worked so hard to find, the president of Galbadia, Vinzer Deling. He frothed at the mouth like a famished Behemoth who had just targeted its prey. Standing next to him were two agents, who were updating Deling on the situation on the roof. That conversation ended briefly though as Deling stepped through the red curtains, most likely to take the stage to make his announcement on air.

The agents in the room were viewing the televised conference backstage, watching as their Commander-in-Chief stepped in front of the cameras. They listened for a for a few minutes as Deling addressed the press, and made his announcement to the world, until one agent was suddenly blindsided by the brunt end of a gunblade handle, and fell to the ground in a daze. The other agent drew his gun and aimed at the attacker, but Seifer grabbed his wrist and spun inward, impaling his midsection with the gunblade, and pulling back the trigger in the impaled agents hand to finish off the other. Luckily, the gun was silenced, so it didn't alert anyone.

Now, all that stood between Seifer and Deling was a thick, velour curtain.

* * *

**Wednesday, May 3rd 4268/**

**1157 hrs**

It had been a seemingly endless hike from Emmitt's Pub to the television station, which they still hadn't located. The Blackstreets were a cluttered mess with everything from rotten mounds of garbage to decomposing cats and rodents along the way. The odor was the only thing worse than the actual sight, causing each one of them to gag at least once or twice along the way, and actually made Zell disgorge the kings breakfast he had ate earlier that morning.

They needed to hurry, being that they had to cover just over four and a half miles in two hours, which was no easy task considering the conditions of those particular backroads. They eventually came upon a rusted, cast-iron gate, just next to an aging building with broken windows and several flights of steps that led into and around the building. Rinoa walked off to the side and climbed atop the roof of a stripped car, trying to get a better view of the buildings in the distance. She could make out the Timber energy plant nearby, which she new was just to the new TV station.

"Okay," Rinoa said eagerly as she strolled up to the first step of the rusted metal stair case, "I think this is it. Let's head up…Zone said it lead around the old station to the back entrance of the new one," she informed them, and they followed her up and around the labyrinth of staircases and metal catwalks.

As they drew closer to the abandoned station, Squall scoured the area with his eyes for any unusual activity. He knew what Jerod had said about the Blackstreets and the back entrance being undisclosed to the G-Army, but he wasn't about to let his guard down based on their testimony. He trusted his instincts alone, and they were telling him to be ready for anything.

They winded around the old building and turned the corner which led to the new TV station where the presidents broadcast was taking place. There was a long catwalk that led past the abandoned building to their primary destination, but the monstrous contraption that was mounted on the wall of the old station caught everyone's eye, especially Zell's.

"Whoa" Zell's mouth went agape as he darted past Squall to get a better look, "This is the biggest TV I've ever seen! I could watch martial arts tournaments all day on this bad boy!"

Selphie shrugged, "What's a television doing outside?"

"It used to broadcast over the old town square of Timber, see. Rinoa informed them as she pointed back over the remains of the once beautiful centerpiece of town, which was now nothing more than rubble consisting of broken rock and twisted metal. A panoramic example of the misery the Galbadian occupation had caused in Timber.

Zell and Selphie continued ogling over the massive screen until the speakers around it let off a high-pitched shriek, causing them all to cover their ears. The noise eventually faded as the speaker volume and amplifier settings were adjusted accordingly, but still left a hollow buzzing sound. Looking up, they noticed the screen had been activated as well, but all that was on was a series of columns with scrolling red digits that made absolutely no sense.

"What is this?" Selphie inquired as she studied the screen, "Almost looks like computer code of some sort."

"Is it?" Squall asked Selphie, who was the group expert at deciphering code. After browsing over it for a minute, Selphie replied.

"Hmm…no, at least nothing I've ever seen. Just looks like gibberish."

Zell turned away from the screen, which was hurting his eyes, "Whatever it is, it's annoying."

"The signal is interrupted," Squall noted, remembering the field exam, as he began piecing it together, "I'm guessing they missed a few bugs on the satellite."

"So what does this mean?" Selphie questioned.

"This noise is broadcasted over most frequencies, due to radio wave interference. This noise is being heard on every television set in the world. Something has to be done before they broadcast anything over the air," Squall stated, and then looked at his watch, seeing it was already five minutes past noon, "Forget about this for now. We need to think of way to get into the studio. Security will undoubtedly have every floor of that building locked down, so we can't really storm the place." he told them, as he looked about seventy yards ahead where the new TV station was. He didn't see any sign of presidential security, meaning it would either be a very simple infiltration or they were walking into an ambush.

"Well, what if the president leaves?" Rinoa spoke up, and Squall turned to listen to what she had to say, "The guards will probably leave then, too. That's when we do our broadcast, proclaiming Timber's independence to the world. It might not be as influential as it would be if we had Deling, but it's better than nothing." she finished, and the group nodded along, not really seeming too enthused with the idea.

"That's our only option, isn't it? I mean, you can't take them ALL on, right?" Rinoa asked them, wanting to hear their opinions on the matter. After all, it was their lives at stake.

"Don't worry about us…we fight your enemies based on your decision, without question. That's our duty, as SeeD's." Squall stated, as Selphie and Zell both nodded behind him in agreement.

"Even if it is to die fighting," Zell added. "You tell us to go…we go."

Rinoa was shocked to hear their answers. It sounded to her as if they didn't even value their own lives, and were more than ready to pay the ultimate sacrifice. _And for what_…something they hardly or maybe didn't believe in whatsoever? They didn't seem the least bit bothered by it; like they knew it was inevitable and were simply accepting it.

Rinoa was not used to this. _Not at all._

"How sad," she stated gloomily, "Act on my decision, that's your duty? What a grand life you must lead, following orders blindly, not thinking of your own welfare. You sound more like slaves than soldiers." she finished.

Squall shrugged, "Call it what you want. We're paid professionals, _remember_? We just want you to achieve your goal using our help. That's our mission." Squall told her, and turned away looking towards the horizon, "I find it hard to believe you can do it, though." he finished.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rinoa rejoined.

"Forget it," Squall shook his head, "It's nothing."

"If you have something to say Squall, just say it!" Rinoa insisted, yelling at Squall to speak his mind.

"Okay…" Squall nodded and turned, "How serious are you, really? The three of you plop down on the floor to discuss strategy, and on top of that, cannot make a decision without our input. It seems like every decision you've made to this point has been on the fly, or made by us. How do you think we feel, working for such an organization?" he explicated, wishing he could take back the words the moment he finished.

"Sorry. I guess I got a little carried away," he apologized. Rinoa shook her head and bit her lip, before looking at Squall with disillusioned brown eyes.

"Maybe all of this was just…a big mistake. I thought everything would work out for the best once we finally got SeeD's assistance, but I guess it's not that simple. I was a fool to think otherwise…to think you'd actually care enough to _want_ to help us. You're hired, it's not like you're one of us…yeah, I get the picture now. You're here because you have to be, not because you _want_ to be!" Rinoa went off, on the brink of tears.

"And how can you say we're not serious?" she screamed at Squall in a sobbing tone, pointing a finger at him. "We've all sacrificed, and bled crimson and blue for our cause. So _yes_, Squall, we are serious…So serious, it hurts!" she finished, and Squall nodded. He didn't mean to bring their dedication into question, it just slipped out in the heat of the moment.

"Look Rinoa, I…" Squall began in an attempt to calm her, but was halted as the red letters and numerals on the screen were replaced with an image that started out scrambled with crooked lines, but eventually cleared up.

"What the…what is that?" Zell asked, pointing at the screen. Squall knew immediately that it was the inside of the studio, and the presidents broadcast to the world. There was no one of the screen yet, just a wooden podium with several microphones, with both the Deling City and Galbadian flags standing tall in the backdrop in front of a red stage curtain, adorning the Galbadian presidential crest.

"They actually did it," Squall muttered.

"Did what?" Zell countered with another question, just before an unknown individual walked on screen.

"Who is that?" Selphie asked, as the man began to speak, but they heard nothing.

"There's no sound, damn it!" Zell exclaimed. Moments later, the sound issue was resolved.

"_T…Testing one, two. Testing, testing. Oh, people of the world, can you see me…can you hear me?" _the man on-screen asked with jubilant smile on his face.

"There's the sound…all we need now is popcorn." Zell joked, and Selphie jabbed him softly on the bicep.

"_Oh, this is incredible! Ladies and gentlemen, this is not a recording. This is an actual broadcast over the air, coming to you, live from Timber! It has been seventeen years since a live broadcast has been possible. Oh my!"_ he stated with a shaky voice, sounding impetuously exhilarated.

"_Sorry, I seem to have lost my composure. Today, we would like to present you a message from the lifelong President of Galbadia. Ladies and gentleman, President Vinzer Deling!" _the man introduced and stepped aside. The president waved to the press on hand as he slowly made his way to the podium, with multiple camera flashes flickering in the background.

"_Greetings!_ _For those of you who do not know, I am Vinzer Deling, President of Galbadia, the greatest nation in the world!" _the speakers blared behind the power of Deling's voice.

"Smug son-of-a-bitch! I'd like to gauge his eyes out!" Zell growled as he stared at the massive screen.

"_Today I stand before you to make the following proposition. We, the people of the world, have the power to end all wars..." _Deling continued.

"What did I tell you?" Selphie exclaimed and raised her arms, "It's a declaration of peace to the world!" Squall didn't know where Deling was going with his speech, but he knew Selphie's presumption was far from correct. He knew better.

"_Unfortunately, there are some trifling problems standing between Galbadia and other nations, and it is imperative that they be resolved. I plan to convene with the World Council, so that we may resolve our disputes, and move forward into an age of peace."_ Deling spoke, seeming genuine in his concern, but again, Squall knew better.

"_At this time I would like to introduce my ambassador who will be my representative at the conference..." _Deling stated with a smile, and then paused for a moment as he glanced around the room, making sure he had everyone's attention.

"All this just to introduce a freakin' ambassador?" Zell questioned loudly. Seconds later, Deling continued.

"_It is my distinct honor to present to you…"_ Deling began, Squall narrowing his eyes in anticipation. Although, never in a thousand lifetimes could Squall have guessed the words that were about to come out of Deling's mouth.

"_Sorceress Edea!_ _A fine representative, and an ambassador of peace!"_ Deling exclaimed, as the entire world let out a collective gasp.

Rinoa was blindsided, "A Sorceress?" she asked, "Squall, what does this mean?"

_A Sorceress? What the hell? _Squall asked himself along with Rinoa, searching for the answer just like she was. He had learned much about sorceresses during his tenure at Garden, from their early lineage to present times.

Millions of years earlier, near the beginning of civilization, the father of humanity, the High Sorcerer Hyne, bestowed part of his power to seven women, to help him maintain peace across the planet. These women were given the title 'sorceress', by Hyne. These seven sorceresses were granted supreme magical powers, far greater than mages and wizards, bettered only by Hyne himself. Hundreds of millennia had passed, and the sorceresses had thus far been triumphant at maintaining peace throughout the world.

Until one dark day, a sorceress by the name of Balzeara became corrupted with power, and began using her magical prowess to fulfill her own selfish desires. She used terror to rule, which eventually upturned the land. The chaos eventually spread, as the world that once flourished in peace was now one giant battlefield. It only worsened over time, as sorceresses became corrupt with power and the cycle continued.

Hyne became outraged that the sorceresses had betrayed him. The world he had worked so hard to protect was now in shambles. He sent his loyal servants, the '_Knights of the Round'_ the eliminate six of the seven sorceresses, leaving Sorceress Zela as the only remaining sorceress. Sorceress Zela, along with Hyne returned the world to peace, thus starting a new civilization, and a new beginning for the planet.

Peace reigned once again over the next four millennia, as the sorceress powers were passed on from generation to generation. All was well until the powers were passed on to an Estharian governor the world now knew as Sorceress Adel. With her power, she eventually became corrupted, and took an iron grip over Esthar, ruling with fear and absolute power. In her quest for more power, she waged war against Galbadia and the western nations, thus starting the Sorceress War. Thousands upon thousands died in the Sorceress War, leaving in its wake countless widowed wives and unfathered children. Sorceress Adel ordered Esthar troops to find her as many possible successors as possible, as they brought back dozens of young women and children for Adel to choose from.

Fortunately, it never got that far as Adel mysteriously disappeared. To present day, it was still unknown what happened to Adel. But now, seventeen years after Adel's disappearance, a new, unknown sorceress is revealed to the world as Deling's ambassador of peace. _Was she really a sorceress? And if so, who was she, and how did she acquire Adel's powers?_

And most importantly, _what was Deling planning on using this sorceress for?_

Squall shuttered to imagine.

In the midst of deep thought, Squall was suddenly interrupted by the sounds of several screams, and a physical struggle on-air. His head shot back up, watching as the camera shook and several members of presidential security raced across the floor. The camera was suddenly jolted hard enough to knock it to the ground, pointing the camera's view to the far corner of the room. The impact had disrupted the camera's picture for a few moments, but it cleared up momentarily, and when it did, the three SeeD's and Rinoa couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"Huh?" Selphie questioned as squinted, not sure if what she was seeing was real, "Hey, look!" she shouted after realizing her eyes were indeed seeing correctly. The president had been taken captive, by a very familiar, blonde-haired, gunblade-wielding, trench coat-wearing dissenter.

"Seifer?" Zell exclaimed as if he wanted to jump into the screen, "What the fuck?"

"_I see one of you bastards flinch, I'll slice him up like a smoked sturgeon!"_ Seifer yelled to the agents who were closing in on him.

"Squall, what are we gonna do?" Rinoa frantically asked him, tugging on his arm. Squall was at a loss for words. _How had he gotten out of the Disciplinary chamber, and how the hell did he get to Timber? _

"Squall!" Rinoa again called out. He looked at Rinoa for a brief moment, and then to Zell and Selphie.

"We need to get in there before he does something stupid!" Squall told them and walked forward.

"Uhh, I think we're already past that," Zell answered smartly. Squall quickly looked down the catwalk, and then back to his team.

"Alright, let's move in," he gave the order to his team, then turned to employer, "Rinoa, you stay here!"

"No way!" she refused with agitation, and held up her arms in confusion, "How are the Forest Owls supposed to reclaim Timber if I'm out here?"

"Just stay here and watch the screen! When we contain the situation, I'll signal you in," he told her, but she didn't seem too pleased with his suggestion. She shook her head, obviously frustrated.

"Rinoa, please…" he reasoned with her. It was to risky letting her follow them in, being that they didn't even know exactly what they were up against. Rinoa took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and nodded in compliance. With that issue settled, Squall turned and began running towards the other end of the catwalk to the entrance of the station.

Drawing closer, the distant sounds of screaming men and gunfire could be heard atop the roof of the TV station. Squall looked up as he ran, trying to see what all the commotion was, but it was out of his field of vision. He figured it had something to do with Seifer, most likely reinforcements preparing to take him out. But all three were shocked when they suddenly spotted the body of a Galbadian officer plummeting from the rooftop, his back snapping over railing, and then falling to the ground below. Zell stopped and looked over the edge at the fallen soldier, then redirected his attention back to the roof, still not able to really see anything.

"What the hell is goin' on up there?" Zell asked.

"There's no time, Zell! Keep moving!" Squall ordered, and Zell complied and continued running down the catwalk.

Finally, they made it to the back entrance of the TV station without facing any opposition whatsoever, which Squall figured was likely due to the altercation taking place inside the studio. Squall peeked inside through the small window on the door, noticing an empty, unlit corridor that led to another set of closed doors. After Zell tore the locked door off its hinges using Ifrit's strength, the three SeeD's made there way inside.

The doors at the end of the hall led to another hallway, this one leading to the multiple other rooms on the floor. They quickly but carefully made there way through the barren passageway, trying to locate studio C where Seifer was holding the president captive. They had no idea where to look, or if they were even on the right floor. The group was surprised as they turned the corner, as a middle aged woman walked around the other corner, holding a stack of papers. Her eyes opened wide as she laid eyes on the trio, Squall's gunblade being the thing that stuck out the most. She began to back off a bit, as she looked at Squall with frightened green eyes, not knowing what they were there for. After taking a few steps back, she dropped the stack of papers and began running back the other way.

Squall had no intentions of harming her, but he couldn't allow her to run off and notify presidential security of their presence. He chased after her and quickly caught up to her, grabbing her arm and pulling her back towards him. She let out a heavy gasp as if she were about to scream, but Squall gently pushed her back against the bulkhead, and placed a hand over her mouth just as she did. Her eyes were welling with tears of fear, unaware of what the man was going to do to her.

Squall put a finger over his lips to quiet her, then spoke, "We're not here to hurt you, I just have a question," he assured her in a calming voice, "Can I take my hand of your mouth without you screaming?" he asked her, and she nodded. Squall removed his hand, and she took a deep breath, obviously still scared, but no longer threatened by the young man.

"Now, do you know where studio C is?" Squall asked.

"Y-yeah, it's on the n-next floor down," she stuttered.

"How many entrances lead in?"

"Just two, the backstage entrance and the main entrance," she informed him, and Squall cursed to himself, knowing both exits would be undoubtedly secured. As he began to think of way to get in, the woman spoke again, "But there is an observation deck at the end of the hall. You can't go down into the studio from there, but you can observe what's happening."

Squall's eyes widened after hearing the information, knowing that was probably the best chance of getting inside, "Thank you," he told her, quickly cast a sleep spell on her, and lied her on the ground.

They quickly made there way to the other end of the hallway, immediately locating the door that lead onto the observation platform. Squall inched the door open easily and glanced inside. He could hear some faint voices, but it was barely audible, and could not see anything besides the ceiling lights from his position. He looked back to his group and put a finger over his mouth, and then waved his hand forward, signaling them to follow him inside.

They crept in the darkness along the platform, which was usually used for television executives and higher camera shots. They made their way toward the safety rail, which overlooked all of studio C. From their new perspective, they could see the entire floor, including Seifer and the president, who were on the standing on the far right corner of room, surrounded by presidential security. Seifer had the jagged, curved end of Hyperion dangerously close to Deling's throat, so if they made one wrong move, he could tear Deling's neck open.

"I see seven guards," Squall whispered, trying to make sure he had a correct count, "Five on the far left of the stage and two on the right."

"What should we do?" Zell asked. Squall was surprised that there were so few guards in the room, given the circumstances. '_Could it have something to do with what was going on atop the roof'_ he thought. He wasn't certain, but he knew they he needed act fast before the guards killed Seifer, or Seifer killed the president.

Just as he began strategizing with Zell and Selphie, Squall heard a loud yelp, turning and watching as one of the agents flew across the room, landing on and taking out a few rows of folding chairs as his limp body slid across the floor.

"What the…" Squall vocalized his confusion and stood upright to see what was going on. The agents had no idea either, as they looked back to the fallen agent, and all around the room. Squall ducked back into the shadows so he wouldn't be sighted, but just as he did heard another loud shout, followed by a flurry of gunfire. He looked over to where Seifer was standing, but realized they weren't shooting at him. In fact, none of the agents were even focused on him anymore.

From their slouched position, the three SeeD's all noticed as a flash of light emanated from the front of the room, immediately followed by yet another airborne soldier. Squall snuck back over to the ledge to observe just what in the hell was going on, at first only really able to see the agents firing through the red stage curtains, but a moment later discovered who was causing the anarchy inside studio C.

A short black haired figured flew through the curtains with mind-blowing velocity, finally coming to a stop at the center of the group of agents, and began an assault. The man was using a weapon known as a '_naginata_', which consisted of a wooden shaft, with a long, slightly angled blade fashioned onto the end. The very same man was also wearing a very familiar uniform; the SeeD field ops uniform. The uniforms were only really worn when large groups of SeeD's traveled together, which led Squall to believe there was more help on the way.

"SeeD reinforcements?" Squall questioned, and Zell and Selphie ran over to see.

"You gotta be shittin' me!" Zell blurted out. Squall wasn't surprised they would eventually show up, _but how did they get there so fast?_ The only explanations were that Garden either had another team near Timber, or had somehow discovered what Seifer was planning.

"That explains the commotion on the roof," Squall elucidated, and Zell snapped his fingers as it all started to make sense. Squall looked back and was preparing to assist the SeeD, who had already slain two more of the agents.

The SeeD slashed around, missing one agent, then using the shaft of his weapon to crack another agent in the temple, and ducked as one agent fired. He sprung back to his feet, spun around, and impaled one agent with his blade. The SeeD sensed another agent about to attack, and swung his arm up to cast a magic spell, but never got the chance as he felt hot lead tear through his neck. Stunned, the SeeD coughed up blood, and looked back to his left, seeing that the soldier he had stabbed had used his final breaths to put a bullet in his neck.

The SeeD fell to ground, near death.

Selphie gasped as she watched what happened, and watched as the final two soldiers loomed over the fallen SeeD, laughing at him as he struggled to stay alive. One agent began to raise his gun to finish him off, but never got the chance as he watched a silver blade blur past his face and cleave straight through his forearm, looking over in shock just in time to see Squall's fist hit him between the eyes, knocking him out cold.

Squall was warned by Quezacotl of the agent behind him, and immediately duck and spun as the agent fired. He swiped his combat knife from his lapstrap and jammed it into the side of the agent's knee, who screamed in bloody anguish. Squall then grabbed the agents hand that had the gun in it, pointed the aim of the gun towards the soldiers midsection, and pulled the trigger until the clip was empty, ensuring the agent was dead.

After disposing of the agent, Selphie ran to the side of the fallen SeeD, who was still barely alive, but choking on blood. She began to cast several cure spells on the wound as fast as she could, but even the strongest curative magic wouldn't have helped him at the time. The injury was far too serious to be fixed with simple para-magic. Seconds later, the SeeD stopped choking and fell limp. Selphie checked his pulse, and then bowed her head.

"He's dead…" she informed them gravely. Zell cursed under his voice and Squall just stared at the corpse. He didn't know who the SeeD was, but couldn't help to wonder what the SeeD was thinking in his final moments. _Was he scared? Did he regret how he lived his life? Did he have a family to worry about? _Squall didn't know, but he hoped at the very least that he was prepared.

Squall reached into his belt and pulled out a small flask of holy water, preparing to give the deceased SeeD his final benedictions, but was stopped by a recognizable, portentous voice behind him.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Squall raised his head, and slowly turned, locking eyes with Seifer, who still had the president captive, "…The Prince of Puberty and his fair maiden, Chicken-Bitch!"

"What do you think you're doing?" Squall asked as he put his gunblade back in its sheath, not wanting provoke Seifer. He was worried what Zell might do, though.

"Isn't it obvious?" Seifer retorted with a small laugh, "Why, what were you planning to do with him?"

"Planning? What are you talking about?" he countered with another question.

"Cut the crap, Squall…who do you think got the ball rolling on this mission you're on?" Seifer inquired, and Squall squinted in confusion, still not knowing what he was referring to, "I know _she_ must've told you about me…" he finished, and Squall finally realized what Seifer was talking about.

_Rinoa_…she had mentioned when they first met that her and Seifer had a pre-existing relationship. Squall didn't know to what extent, nor did he care, but that was the only real way Seifer could've known they were planning on using the president. But, _was that why Seifer was here?_ _Did he come all this way just to help her? Did he go through all this trouble just to make sure the mission was a success?_

"You mean Rinoa?" Zell asked as Squall thought.

Seifer swung his gunblade and pointed at Zell, "Shut your fuckin' mouth!" he snapped, and Zell balled up his fist, obviously on edge.

"This is over Seifer! Let us handle this!" Squall demanded.

"If it's all the same, I think I'll handle this myself!" Seifer insisted as he began to move back towards the main entrance to the studio.

"Think again dickhead!" Zell went off, pointing at Seifer, "SeeD reinforcements will be here any minute to haul your sorry ass back to Garden!" he shouted, Squall looking over in Zell's direction quickly as those words escaped his mouth.

"Zell, no!" Squall shouted, and Zell shrugged, not knowing why Squall was so uptight. Zell obviously didn't understand the magnitude of the situation, and the faux pas he just made had directly implicated Garden as being involved in his attack.

"Oh, so you're all SeeD's? If anything should happen to me, Galbadian forces will undoubtedly crush Balamb Garden," Deling informed them, "You can let go of me now, SeeD!" he told Seifer with spite in his voice.

Seifer shook Deling roughly, "Too bad for you, I'm not a SeeD!" he told him through his clinched teeth.

"Well then, I guess you won't care when Balamb Garden is destroyed!" Deling spat back. Seifer grit his teeth and blinked his eyes in anger, then pointed at Zell.

"Nice going chicken-shit!" he screamed, and then looked back to Squall, "Why did you bring this dumbass with you?"

"You've got bigger problems Seifer!" Squall informed him, and Seifer snickered.

"I hadn't noticed!" he replied cockily, looked behind him, and began to move towards the door once again, "You wanna help me Squall, take care of this mess!" he finished as he continued dragging Deling with him.

"We're gonna take a little trip, Mr. President!" Seifer whispered into Deling's ear watching as Squall slowly followed behind.

"You are making a monumental mistake you little shit!" Deling snarled as the Seifer tightened the hold he had around Deling's neck. Before he could reply though, the door's he was head for burst open. In burst three Galbadian soldiers, armed with rifles, all pointed at Seifer.

"Freeze!" one soldier yelled as they took their positions.

"Go ahead and shoot!" Seifer dared them, then pulled Deling up to shield his body and head, "You better be pretty accurate though if you don't want to hit your gutless leader!" he told them, just waiting for one of them to flinch.

Squall watched from the background, keeping his eyes on the soldiers, making sure none of them were trigger happy. He was pretty sure none of them would chance putting a bullet into the president, but he figured one of them may be a sharpshooter or just a young brash private looking to be a hero. He was not trying to help Seifer, but he didn't want to see him get killed by Galbadian soldiers.

After nearly two minutes of no one speaking or blinking an eye, the doors slowly creped open and all three soldiers immediately turned. Mysteriously, there was a pale purple hue glowing through a thick cloud of smoke, but no one was seen at the door. The soldiers backed up a bit, splitting their attention between Seifer and whoever was in the hallway. The soldiers waited for someone to enter, but no one did. The smoke just continued pouring in, and the purple light got brighter.

One of the soldiers took a few steps closer, "You have three seconds to show yourself, or I'm coming out shooting! One…" he shouted, but still got no answer, "Two…" he continued the countdown, but still got nothing. He looked back to the other two, who still had their guns focused on Seifer. He shook his head, and decided it was time to take action. He pulled a flash-bang grenade from his belt, and tossed it into the hallway.

"Three…here I come asshole!" he snarled and began walking towards the door.

Squall watched as the soldier approached the hallway, but nothing could've prepared him for what he seen next. A flash of light sparked in the hallway, but it wasn't the grenade like Squall expected it to be. It was a jetting stream of energy the struck soldier in the chest, then proceeded to flow to the other two soldiers who were watching Seifer. It seemed they were frozen at first as none of them moved at all, but within seconds their bodies fell into three separate heaps of ash and dust.

"What the fuck?" Zell shouted in astonishment as Squall reequipped his gunblade, getting ready for whatever was hiding behind the veil of smoke. He had never seen anything like that. No fiends or SeeD's had that kind of power.

Moments later, a slender feminine figure was silhouetted within the clouds of artificial smoke. Seifer, who had been gazing at the three soldiers remained lifted his gunblade, and pointed it towards the door. The woman finally stepped out of the fog and into plain view, everyone in the room mesmerized by what they saw.

The slim, yet voluptuous woman was elegant, yet somehow, terrifying. She was wearing a slim fitting dress that was about the darkest shade of purple imaginable. It was adorned with ruffled black feathers around the diving neckline that extended a bit below her sternum, revealing quite a bit of cleavage. Her skin was quite pale, almost pallid, and her eyes were golden with dark irises like an endless abyss, with dark-violet eye shadow giving her an even more macabre appearance. Her face was somewhat attractive, aside from the several, odd looking veins that were sprouting from both sides of her face. Finally, she wore an elegant, sleek gold tiara with a blood-colored jewel adorning the front portion that pointed down over her forehead.

"_The Sorceress…" _Squall muttered to himself subconsciously. It was hard to fathom that he was actually gazing upon a real sorceress. A goddess amongst mere mortals, a woman of mythical lore, and Hyne's prized creation.

She stepped forward; looking deep into Seifer's eyes, "Poor, poor boy…" she spoke softly in a feminine voice with strong traces of evil. Seifer looked to his left and right, as if he was looking for a way out. He looked back, and pointed his gunblade straight at her, nonverbally warning her not to come any closer.

"Such a confused little boy. Are you going to step forward? Retreat?" she continued walking forth, "You need to decide..." she continued her mind games the blonde cadet, beating him at his own game. Seifer finally began to give her ground as backed up, gritting his teeth nervously.

"Back off bitch, or I'll slit his fuckin' throat!" he threatened nervously.

Within moments after he spoke, Seifer began to feel surreal, almost delusional vivid flashbacks began to play in his mind, ones he had spent a good part of his life trying to forget. He had flashes of his parents and grandparents, who he could barely recall. He had horrible images of Garden being destroyed and people he knew dying gruesome deaths at the hands of Galbadian soldiers. He could hear thousands of whispers all around him, speaking to him in native and foreign languages. It was as if she had delved into the deepest depths of his mind and farthest reaches of his soul, and found his longest lost memories and his worst fears, and was using them against him.

"The boy in you is telling you to come, while the adult in you tells you to back off. You can't make up your mind. You don't know the right answer..." she spoke again, as the images became more intense and graphic, and Seifer began shaking, sweating profusely and breathing heavily.

"You want help, don't you? You want to be saved from this predicament?" she asked, as Seifer suddenly let go of Deling and slashed his gunblade in her direction.

"Shut up, just shut up!" he screamed with strong hints of dementia his voice, as Deling ran past the sorceress and through the doors behind her.

Once Deling was away from Seifer, Zell made a brash decision to try and take him down, "Hell with this!" he exclaimed and dashed towards Seifer. Squall tried to call out, but it was too late.

"Zell!" he shouted, and reached forward, but that was as far as he got.

The sorceress merely waved her hand, and sent a wave of energy through the room, freezing the three SeeD's as they stood. Squall couldn't move a finger or even blink an eye, but could still hear and see everything perfectly. He felt like a living statue, as did Selphie and Zell. With that distraction taken care of, the sorceress continued.

"Don't be afraid to ask for help. Besides, you are just a little boy!"

"Stop calling me a boy, damn it!" Seifer shouted back, then closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to compose himself, but it was futile. He could not take it anymore…he could feel her inside his head, stealing his memories and exploiting his fears. He was almost to the point where he would have opted to put a bullet through his head if it would put an end to the images and voices.

"You don't want to be a boy anymore?" she asked, and suddenly, the flashbacks stopped, as did the voices. Seifer looked back to the sorceress and shouted back his answer.

"I am NOT a boy!" he screamed with passion in his voice, and a menacing smile crept onto her face.

"Then come with me, to a place of no return!" she demanded, as a wave of euphoria swept over him. He felt empowered, like he never had before. For the first time in his existence, he felt like more than just a kid, and even more than just a regular man. He finally felt as if he had a purpose…a purpose that could very well affect all existence. He had finally found what he had been searching for all his life, and she helped him find it in just a few seconds.

"Bid farewell to your childhood, and embrace your fate..." she told him, and nodded his head in compliance.

Squall could not believe what he was seeing and hearing from his immobilized state. _Had Seifer just joined forces with Deling and the sorceress? _It sure looked that way as the sorceress turned and exited the room, and Seifer followed. Before passing through that unholy threshold of betrayal, Seifer turned his head to the side and looked at Squall from the corner of his eye. He knew Squall couldn't move or talk, but he knew he could see and hear. Seifer simply smirked and nodded, giving his ultimate rival a final 'so-long' before he disappeared behind the heavy smoke.

They doors quickly closed behind Seifer, and the three SeeD's regained their ability to move. All three fell to the ground, weary from whatever spell had just been cast over them.

"What the hell just happened?" Zell asked, and Selphie shrugged. Squall, who was on bended knee, looked towards the door with determined eyes, and sprint forward. There was no way he was going to let Seifer get away so easily. He burst through the doors, and looked to his right and left, only seeing several more piles of ashy G-Army soldier remains the sorceress had left in her wake.

There was no sign of her and Seifer. They were long gone.

"What is it?" Zell asked as he and Selphie struggled to their feet. Squall walked back inside, shaking his head.

"He's gone," he informed them with confusion in his voice. _What had she done to Seifer? Did she brainwash him? There was no way he would just willingly follow her, was there? _As Squall was thinking, he noticed someone approaching from the corner of his eye. Looking up, he was surprised to the highest ranking member SeeD observing the dead bodies as he headed their way.

"Commander Brak," Squall acknowledged and then saluted, as Zell and Selphie followed suit.

"Where's Almasy?" Brak asked without returning the gesture of respect. Squall dropped his salute, and looked over to Zell and Selphie, trying to think of a suffice response. "I asked you a question Field Sergeant Leonhart!" he got in Squall's face and screamed.

"I'm not sure, sir." Squall replied, staring him square in the eyes.

Brak got even closer, almost nose to nose with Squall, "What the _FUCK_ is that supposed to mean?" he asked in a low, snarling voice. Squall wasn't too fond of the pointless intimidation game Brak was playing, but there was nothing he could really do. He just took a step back, and answered the question.

"He walked through those doors, and…" he began to answer, but Brak shoved him out of the way and ran towards the doors, finding exactly what Squall had found.

_Absolutely nothing._

"So then, where is he?" he asked loudly as he walked back towards them, kicking one of the piles cremated Galbadian soldier over the floor, "Why didn't you pursue him?"

Before Squall could respond, Selphie decided to help him out, "We tried Commander, but when we reached the hallway he was, well…gone." she finished, and Squall put a hand over his face. It was the truth, but he knew giving Brak an answer like that would only piss him of even more.

Brak smiled and let out a small laugh, then raised his hands in the air, "Hyne, it's a miracle! The guy just vanished like a fart in the wind! " he remarked condescendingly, then shook his head and stormed past them, staring down Zell as he headed for the backstage exit.

Zell shrugged, not knowing what they did wrong, "What a dick!" he commented while giving Brak the finger as he walked backstage. Squall began to rub his tired eyes, and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself after Brak's inane attempt at getting a rise out of him. When he opened his eyes again, he noticed a recognizable blonde limping out from backstage.

"Quistis?" Squall asked, and Zell and Selphie turned, noticing that Quistis had indeed just entered the room.

"Squall, thank Hyne you're all okay!" she exclaimed with the limited energy she had.

"What about you…what happened?" Squall asked as he looked down at her leg, which was bandaged up, but she was walking with a slight limp.

"It's a long story," Quistis dismissed her well being, and then looked around the room, "What happened to Seifer?"

"I have no idea," Squall shrugged, "He disappeared with the sorceress, that's all we know right now."

Quistis wasn't aware of everything that went on while the medics attended to her, but she knew they couldn't stay there, "Well, we better get out of here. The forensic team will be down here any moment, and Commander Brak isn't too happy."

Squall nodded just as Rinoa ran out from backstage, "Hey guys, what happened?" she asked then looked around, "Where's Seifer?"

Squall shook his head, tired of answering the question he had no positive answer to, "We aren't sure."

"I seen him on TV with President Deling before the camera went off air," she told Squall, "Where did they go?"

Squall turned to her and replied sternly, "Look, Deling escaped, and Seifer is missing…that's all we know!"

Rinoa rolled her eyes, but had gotten used to him being so short with her, "Well, the G-Army located our base. It's been completely destroyed," she informed them, sounding slightly thwarted.

Selphie's eyes widened, "What about the rest of the rest of the Forest Owls?" she asked worriedly.

Rinoa smiled, "They're all fine. Luckily, they all got off the train before it was discovered," she answered, much to the relief of the others. "Anyway, we need to leave Timber for awhile, at least until things settle down. Is there somewhere safe you can take me?"

Squall glanced at Quistis, who still didn't know exactly who Rinoa was, nor was she aware of the fact that this girl was the reason Seifer went through hell and high waters to get to Deling. Squall didn't know exactly what happened or how Seifer got away from Garden, but he figured that could wait for another time. Right now, he needed to figure out where to take Rinoa.

"Alright…" Squall nodded, "But first, we have to find a way out of town," he told her. The lines were still down and Squall knew that more soldiers would be deployed to Timber in to replace the countless casualties SeeD forces caused. He was worried about what the Galbadian government's reaction might be to this incident, although he knew there was nothing he could really do about it. He just hoped Cid and the Garden faculty could handle whatever backlash was heading their way.

"I have an idea," Rinoa told them quietly, and they opened their ears to listen. Right now, Squall was open to any suggestions, "I know someone who might be able to help. She only lives a few blocks from here. We can lie low there until we think of something," she suggested, and they all nodded in agreement.

"Fine," Squall replied and turned to the exit, not wanting to waste any time, "Let's get moving…"

* * *

Whew…long chapter! I was going to try to release this chapter and next chapter simultaneously, but as always, thought of a lot of new stuff I wanted to add to next chapter, so I just decided to post this now.

This chapter is a slight departure from the game to make it a little more realistic. I didn't put the sorceress in her full get up…I made her a little dressed down. Come the parade, she will be decked out in full sorceress gear! ;) Anyway, there were a lot of differences…if you have any questions about them just ask, and I will get back to you. I will be doing the 'shout outs' in my bio since we aren't allowed doing it in the chapter anymore, so just look there. Anyway, I want to finish the next chapter and the chapter after that (Laguna Dream Sequence), because after that I feel my story gets REAL interesting, and is a lot more fun to write stuff for. So, the next chapter should be out early next week, at least by next Thursday. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter! Until next time…


	20. Chapter XVI: Higher Ground

_**May 8**__**th**__** Revision**_**: **Thanks to **Bradley McCloud.**

**Chapter XVI**

_**Higher Ground**_

**Wednesday, May 3rd 4268/**

**1329 hrs**

The venture to Rinoa's safe haven was not even a mile away, although Squall could've sworn it was much longer. The group had divided into gender specific groups; Selphie, Quistis and Rinoa were about fifteen yards ahead, talking about Hyne knows what, while Squall was fortunate enough to hear Zell tell him far-fetched stories he had already heard several times in the past. He tried to preoccupy himself by scouting the area for stray G-Army soldiers that may have been lurking, but most of the soldiers had been reassigned after the incident at the TV station.

The group finally arrived in a small rundown ghetto neighborhood, to a ramshackle old house covered in chipped olive-colored paint, just across the street from the old Timber police station, which had long since been abandoned since the G-Army took over all aspects of law enforcement. The windows were barred up from the inside to prevent uninvited guests, and even the front door was enforced with armored plates. Squall walked up next to Quistis as Rinoa lightly knocked, quickly glancing over her shoulder and seeing Squall, standing by with a cautious gaze on his face. Just as Squall made eye contact with her, the door opened.

"Rinoa!" the moderately heavy set woman in a dark green dress and cooking apron greeted.

"Hello Deloris," Rinoa replied, and gave her a hug. The middle aged woman had a foreign look about her, but Squall couldn't place it. Her skin was a very light shade of brown, and was covered in small scars, including one which ran the entire length of her left cheek. Her wrinkled face and hazel eyes told the story of a woman who had been through a lot and seen too much

"I heard what happened to your base, I'm sorry," she expressed to Rinoa, regretfully.

"It's okay," Rinoa replied as she laid a hand on the woman's shoulder, trying to console her. "I'm just happy no one got hurt."

The woman smiled realizing Rinoa was right, "It is not safe out on the streets. G-Army soldiers are on full alert right now. You all better come to my house until things die down a bit."

"That's a good idea. Thank you." Rinoa agreed as the woman moved to the side as they quickly made their way inside the small house.

Squall contemplated whether or not it was wise for himself and the SeeD's to go into the strangers residence. For one, they barely knew this woman, even if Rinoa did deem her trustworthy, Squall still wasn't so sure. Another concern was the thought that someone might see the SeeD's enter and report it to the G-Army.

"Squall," Rinoa called his name in mid thought. Squall looked at her as she stood next to the open door, "What are you waiting for?" she asked. While Squall wasn't exactly sure if it was the proper course of action, he knew it was safer inside than wondering around outside. He quickly surveyed the area once more, and walked inside.

Upon entering, the woman locked and bolted up the door, and glanced out the peephole, making sure no one was outside. They all stood in the small kitchen, where pots and pans cluttered the countertops. There was a set of stairs off to the side that led to the second story, and the a messy living room where the television was blaring the sounds of kiddy music. Rinoa introduced Deloris and her children to the rest of her party after everyone had entered and the door was locked up. The SeeD's were all still very tired from the events of the past few days and the morning, and it showed. Noticing this, Deloris spoke up.

"Just to let you all know what is going on," she began "The G-Army are going door to door looking for you, but can't come in unless they have direct evidence that you are here, so just lie low. I'll bring some food up, and I'll let you know if anything changes."

Rinoa smiled kindly, "Thanks Chief." Deloris then asked her teenage daughter to escort them upstairs to the guest bedroom where they could rest and wait it out. She led them all in there and then locked the door from the outside.

As soon as the door closed, Selphie spoke up "Why did you call her Chief?"

"She's the leader of Forest Fox," she responded," "That soldier was right when he said most people in town were part of the resistance, but right now, the Forest Owls and Forest Foxes are the only active factions," she continued and sat on the bed as she glanced at the clock on the wall. She looked out the window, seeing the empty streets littered with trash and debris, but no sign of Galbadian soldiers or presidential security. At least not yet.

"Might as well get comfortable, we'll probably be here for awhile." Rinoa stated to the group as she lied back in the bed. Zell and Selphie slouched down and sat against the rails on the side of the bed and Quistis sat down in the chair, still nursing her injured leg. Squall just leaned against the wall next to the window and looked out into the distance, because he knew the present tranquility would be short lived.

* * *

**Wednesday, May 3rd 4268/**

**1644 hrs**

After the incident in Timber, the President was quickly rushed back to the presidential palace in the Galbadian capital, where he was attended to medically. He was not hurt badly, but did suffer minor abrasions due to Seifer Almasy. Deling sat at his desk in the presidential office, shaking with rage. He did not know where the Sorceress had gone to or what she had done with Seifer. As he sat there, contemplating his next move, his intercom took his attention.

"Predient Deling, Mr. Dandridge is here to see you," the female secretary stated. Deling pounded the button with his finger to signal her to send him in. Seconds later, a concerned and ever fearful Walter Dandridge walked into the room and slowly made his way towards Deling's desk.

"Mr. President I'm so happy to hear that you are okay!" Dandridge exclaimed with shakiness in his voice. The president just veered at him for a moment, and then uncharacteristically chuckled.

"Okay?" he stated and darkly laughed even more, "My supposedly top flight security was breached by a bunch of children and I was humiliated on air in front of hundreds of millions of people. You consider that 'okay'?" he asked Dandridge, surprisingly calm.

"That's not what I meant, sir" Dandridge stated with a sweat, "Several of the top agents responsible for your security have been taken into custody and…" he continued until the president cut him off.

"It was your plan, Walter."

"Yes…and it worked. We just underestimated the SeeDs," Dandridge responded, his growing fear of Deling's wrath becoming more obvious each passing moment.

"No," the president stated and leaned forward, pointing at his top advisor, "YOU underestimated them!" Dandridge, knowing full well how Deling responded to failure of the people around him, slowly fell to his knees.

"Please Mr. President…" he sobbed with his hands together, "As your long time faithful servant, I humbly beg for forgiveness". Deling sighed and shook his head. He stood up and walked around his desk and right next to Dandridge, who proceeded to bow at his feet.

"You're a weak little man, Walter. It's sickening," Deling paused a moment, then continued, "I expect your resignation on my desk by tomorrow morning." Dandridge slowly rose to his feet, relieved to hear the president's unusually fair reprimand.

"Yes sir. Very good sir!" he complied and bowed his head to Deling as he quickly made an exit. Deling walked back around his desk as two of Deling's personal agents stood before his desk. Deling looked over a paper in front of him and addressed them without making eye contact.

"Be sure to let Walter's wife know of his unfortunate passing, and issue a statement to the press," he stated, in a sarcastically somber voice, signaling to his men what he wanted to be done,

"Such a tragedy." Deling finished, and one of his men left the room to carry out the order. The other stood there at attention.

"Well?" Deling asked.

"Sir, do you want us to increase our presence in Timber and raid the city for the terrorists?" the agent asked, but was not given an immediate response. Deling sat back in his black, leather chair and spun around to look out the window, which offered a magnificent view of the Galbadian skyline with all the skyscrapers and landmarks in the city. Deling had kept Timber under watchful eye for several years, and had been successful in weeding out many resistance factions and scaring most of Timber from starting up new ones. Even though he felt they still posed a thread, he felt as if new actions needed to be taken. Deling turned back around and looked at the agent.

"No," he stated, taking the agent off guard, "Have a few units sweep the city for the rest of the day. By tomorrow morning, I want the martial law lifted and our Army to completely vacate that shithole. We've wasted enough time there," he finished, the agent at a loss for words, especially considering the fugitives were probably still in the city limits.

"But sir….I don't understand." He stated, and Deling looked up with a sneering look on his face.

"You don't need to understand," he stated in a sinister voice, "You leave that to me."

* * *

**Wednesday, May 3rd 4268/**

**1731 hrs**

Four hours had passed, and nothing had happened yet. Squall barely moved the entire time, aside from stretching and eating some food that was prepared for them. Squall was getting antsy and perturbed waiting around. The room was generally quiet the first three hours aside from Zell's snoring, but had quickly livened up with chatter. They were talking about anything but the current situation, trying to take their mind off of it for at list a little bit. Squall, as usual, decided not to chime in, despite some questions and comments aimed at him. The room became completely quiet for a few moments after they had run out of 'fun' things to talk about.

"I still don't understand," Quistis broke the silence, "Why did Seifer come here?"

After a moment of everyone reflecting on the question, Rinoa sighed, "I think he came here to help the resistance. I talked to him about it a lot. So please, don't speak too badly of him."

"So, you're the friend he was talking about?" Quistis inquired and Rinoa nodded. Quistis smirked a bit and lowered her head, "I doubted him when he said he was doing it for someone else."

"That's why I don't want you to cast all the blame on him. He had good intentions." Rinoa stated, just before there was a loud pounding coming from downstairs. They all quickly became alert and Squall walked to the door as it opened.

"Someone's at the door!" Deloris' youngest daughter Salam told them as she entered, "Keep quiet," she stated, then closed the door slowly. The group huddled up against the door to try to hear what was going on. The sounds were muffled, but they could make most of it out.

"Evening ma'am. We're looking for a group of youths called the Forest Owls who were accompanied with three unidentified individuals we believe were SeeD's from Balamb.", the gruff voice of what was undoubtedly a Galbadian solider or presidential security asking question, "Is there anyone in here, or has anyone come here recently looking for sanctuary?"

"You should be ashamed of yourselves!" Deloris voice exclaimed, "You walk around town with those guns scaring everybody…I have two small children, you better not doing anything to frighten them!" she demanded.

"Just answer the damn question, lady!" Another manly voice demanded crudely. After a slight pause, Deloris answered.

"No, I haven't seen anyone like that!"

Squall, who was worried them might try to force their way in and hurt someone reached for the door handled, but was stopped by Salam.

"Just stay in the room. My mother will handle this," she stated calmly, and Squall nodded, and reluctantly complied for the moment. The group moved away from the door, except for Squall, who listened for any sounds of distress.

"Will she be alright?" Quistis asked with concern.

"She'll be fine," Salam stated with a nod, "The legend goes, my mother took down many soldiers with her strength, cooking and beauty." There was a small pause, but Zell quickly jumped in with an inappropriate comment.

"Heh, the 'beauty' part sure makes it sound like a legend, " he stated with a small laugh, as everyone looked at him agitatedly. Zell just shrugged, as he was just trying to lighten the mood.

"Wonder if he's alright…?" Rinoa stated as she sat back down on the bed. Squall knew exactly who she meant, and leaned back against the door.

"Seifer got himself into this, he can get himself out." He stated, Rinoa looking slowly up at him, saddened. She bowed her head back down, knowing Squall was right. Quistis walked to the center of the room and responded.

"I agree Seifer made a lot of wrong decisions, but you don't know the whole story, Squall," she told him, but Squall had known Seifer his entire life, and knew Seifer never needed a _GOOD_ reason to do anything. "He was so angry when he heard they dispatched the three of you, just a few days after you became SeeD's."

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't wander myself," Selphie aired her confusion.

Quistis nodded, "He must've known well about the situation over here. He was worried that you'd end up taking on the entire Galbadian force. It didn't even occur to me when he said he wanted to go to Timber. When I realized it, I became concerned as well. I guess that's why I accompanied him."

Squall's ears rang after hearing what Quistis had said. "Accompanied? You came with him voluntarily?" he asked with befuddlement in his voice. Quistis shook her head slowly, not really sure how to answer.

"Not entirely. But I didn't do anything to try and stop him. He said he would return if I complied, but I knew he had no intentions of going back. I could see in his eyes he was worried about all of you. He may not have admitted it, but he wanted to help." Qustis explained, and everyone tried to absorb what she just said, except Zell.

"I don't buy it!" he exclaimed, dismissing it entirely. "He treats us like shit all the time, and we are supposed to believe he was concerned? Pshhh…" Quistis nodded, not shocked at all by the response.

"I don't blame you. I had a hard time believing he was serious too." She stated.

Squall looked down at the beige, stained covered carpet beneath his feet. He knew Seifer was a lot of things, but insincere wasn't one of them, especially concerning matters such as this. Seifer probably did want to be part of it, and probably was concerned for them, but more than that, Squall figured, more than anything, he wanted to be in the limelight. Seifer always wanted the attention, especially between him and Squall. While in thought, Rinoa's voice alerted Squall.

"I wonder what's going to happen to him." She wandered, and Squall answered rather quickly.

"He may already be dead," he stated, with no real empathy or plight in his voice. Rinoa made a faint whimpering sound and then shot up off the bed.

"How can you be so damn casual!?" She shouted at Squall with anger and sadness both decorating her tone. She calmed down and lowered her head, "I feel sorry for him."

Squall looked to the ground again, _"Sorry? Seifer would hate to hear that." _He thought to himself, and let out the smallest of laughs with the smallest of smirks as he imagined Seifer's reaction, which infuriated Rinoa.

"What's so funny? You're horrible…" she stated, sounding like she wanted to keep going but stopped herself, and then walked towards Squall and stopped, "Why do you think Seifer may be dead?" she asked. Squall took a deep breath and pushed himself off the door.

"He threatened the life of one of the most powerful figureheads in the world. It's no surprise Seifer may have been, or will be executed for it," he told her, and it sadly made sense.

"Even so, I still hope he's alive," she said with desperation in her voice.

"_Think what you want, but reality isn't so kind." _Squall thought, then replied_, _"Just don't get you're hopes up. You'll feel less pain; it's easier to handle. Anyway, whatever wish you have is none of my business," he told her and walked past her, and stared out the window once again. Rinoa turned, almost speechless.

"You're unbelievable," was all she could say in a low voice, and then walked over by the door where Squall was.

Squall was going to apologize, but didn't see the point. He was being realistic, and she needs to accept that this story probably wasn't going to have a happy ending. Squall didn't want Seifer to die, and was hoping it didn't happen, but he wasn't going to try to convince himself otherwise. Seifer made his choice, and there was nothing any of them could do to change fate.

* * *

**Wednesday, May 3rd 4268/**

**1858 hrs**

The headmasters brown dress shoes clicked aganst the freshly polished floor of the Garden halls with each step he took. His pace was frantic as he made his way to the infirmary to see the SeeD's who had just returned from Timber. He had already been informed that Seifer was not in custody, but at the moment was more worried about the safety of the men who had just returned, after hearing about the melee that had taken place with the presidents men.

Cid rushed into the infirmary, which wasn't that busy aside from a few SeeD's getting patched up and one in intensive care. Cid rushed towards the emergency care section where he noticed Commander Brak with his arm patched up, talking to one of the medics.

"Jeseph," the Headmaster called out, causing him to look back, "Are you alright?" Brak put his uniform top back on and responded.

"Fine," he answered, seeming a bit put out.

"Did everyone return safely?" the Headmaster inquired.

Brak slowly nodded, "One of my men took a shot to the abdomen, but he looks like he will pull through," he looked over at one of the other SeeD's in the bed, who was in stable condition after being shot, "Almasy got away. The presidential security slowed us down," he told the Headmaster, who nodded.

"I know. Xu informed me an hour ago," he stated, obviously disappointed, "Do you have any idea where he went?" Cid asked. Brak paused a moment, and sighed with displeasure.

"We ran into those three cherry blossoms you sent over there. They weren't of any help at all," Brak told him. Cid's eyes widened as he heard the news.

"Squall!?" he exclaimed, "We haven't been able to establish an uplink with them. Are they alright? Why didn't you bring them back?" he drilled Brak with questions. Brak finished getting his stuff together after being fixed up, and answered the Headmaster in a very stoic tone.

"I didn't know the mission was to pick the kids up from the babysitter," he replied; his seemingly disrespectful demeanor somewhat taking the Headmaster off guard, "We went over there to find Almasy. All they could tell me was he disappeared. We have a team over there scouring the newstation for evidence. That's all we know at this point." Brak finished, staring the Headmaster right in the eye. The Headmaster knew it was probably an exhausting ordeal, so he just smiled.

"Okay Jeseph. Get some rest. We can talk about it more tomorrow," Cid told him, and slowly made his way out of the infirmary with Brak staring at him every step he took. After the Headmaster left, Brak started to walk away but was stopped before taking two steps.

"He's still alive?" the voice asked, and Brak turned, seeing the robed Garden faculty member appear from seemingly out of nowhere, "NORG will not be happy." Brak adjusted the service medals that decorated his jacked and slowly walked toward the faculty member.

"He just attacked the president of one of the most powerful countries in the world, and chances are, he is still somewhere in Galbadia. He wont last long before he is spotted." Brak assured him, and again started to walk away before being stopped again.

"You better hope so," the faculty member stated, halting Brak. He turned around with an evil little grin and walked close to the faculty member.

"Your little threats and intimidation games may work with Kramer, but if you ever talk to me like that again..." he stated, and almost on cue his eyes turned entirely black for just a moment, "Let's just say NORG's fury will be the last thing on your mind." Brak finished, and finally exited the infirmary, leaving the faculty member frozen in fear.

* * *

**Thursday, May 4th 4268/**

**2114 hrs**

The light flicked on in the living room of the presidential palace, as two black suited agents entered the room, checking and searching every square inch of the palace to make sure it was secure and safe for the president. After five minutes, the agents finished and Deling gestured from them to leave him in peace. It had been a long day, and all he wanted was do throw back a few and rest for the night.

He walked over to his minibar and grabbed the crystal decanter, and began pouring the premium malt liquor into the small whisky glass. He quickly took a drink, letting the sour burn of the whiskey dance on his tongue before he swallowed. Just as he put the glass down on the table to pour some more, the light in the room suddenly went dim, and a cold chill ran up his spine, as if an presence more disturbing than his own entered the room.

"Who's there?" Deling called out, and his question was quickly answered.

"Why do you ask questions to which you already know the answer?" the voice spoke from the back corner of the room. Deling turned, only seeing the silohette of the shapely woman, cloaked in darkness.

"Edea…" he responded nervously with his drink in hand, "Where have you been?"

"That is not your concern," she replied sternly. Deling took a drink as a eerie silence filled the room.

"Where is Seifer Almasy? " he asked with insistence in his voice, like the whiskey was liquid courage, "We need to make an example of him to strike fear into the hearts of all who oppose us!" he demanded with resolution and anger. Deling could hear and ever faint and evil laugh coming from the woman.

"The fear will come, and there will be no escape. It will not only fill the hearts, but the souls and dreams of everyone who crosses our path," she told him, and slowly began walking towards the window, "As for the boy, he is taken care of." Deling took a step forward upon hearing her statement.

"Is he dead?" he asked and took another drink. For a moment, she had no answer and Deling wasn't about to ask again. After a long pause, he watched has her shrouded figure turned towards him.

"The boy is gone," she stated dimly and took a step forward, "The man has risen." She told Deling, which confused him. However, before he could open his mouth, the room went pitch black for less than a second, and the lights came back on. The woman had vanished.

"Edea?" Deling questioned, knowing he would get no response. He downed the rest of the whiskey in his cup and wiped his mouth. As much as he wanted Seifer to pay, he was confident in what the sorceress decided to do.

* * *

**Thursday, May 4th 4268/**

**0542 hrs**

The Galbadian soldiers were out in full force for about twelve hours after the attack on the president the day before, and with the martial law in effect and no quick ways out of Timber, the SeeD's were basically stuck inside, waiting for some kind of news. Squall was still unable to get in contact with Garden due to the signal interference, Rinoa spent most of the night downstairs talking to Deloris and playing with the kids, and Quistis, Zell and Selphie were resting up.

Squall had drifted off a few times, but for no more than a few minutes at a time. He had too much on his mind. With no way of getting in contact with Garden and all the uncertainties, he really didn't know what he could do. He had only been a SeeD for a few days and already he was cast into a situation that was far bigger than it was ever intended to be, or so he thought. Throughout the night, he would also hear noises which caused him to look around the house. Usually, it was the pipes creaking from running water or cats in the back alley scurrying through the dumpster, but he had to be paranoid given the circumstances. Just before sun up, the door to the bedroom swung open and Rinoa walked up to Squall quickly.

"A member of the Forest Foxes just contacted Chief," she whispered to Squall, "Galbadian reinforcements are withdrawing, and some of the trains are running again. The normal soldiers will still be around, but if we're gonna leave town, now's our chance."

Squall nodded and Rinoa left the room to prepare. Squall woke everyone up and informed them of the situation. They each took time to get ready, cleaned up and prepared for the undeniable long day ahead. After everyone was prepped and ready to move out, they all met downstairs in the kitchen. Squall was looking out the kitchen window, noticing that the martial law had seemingly been lifted.

"So what's your plan?" Quistis asked Squall. She was higher ranking, but he was in charge of the current mission so had authority over her regarding decisions made about it. Squall continued looking out the window as he answered.

"Getting out of here is our first step," Squall responded. Rinoa was confused, though.

"What do you mean? She said the trains are running again," Rinoa inquired.

"And if we get out of Timber, where do we go from there?" Squall asked Rinoa, who had no real answer, "We can't get international transportation without showing the proper ID, and the Galbadian government undoubtedly has them on high alert," he told them all. After a few moments, Quistis eyes widened and she looked at Squall.

"Have you ever heard of Garden Code, Article 8, line 7?" she asked.

"8:7?" Squall muttered to himself and thought for a moment. There were so many Garden code's and policies that it was hard to recall them off the top of his head. Suddenly, Squall remembered.

"If you can't get to your assigned Garden, head for the nearest Garden." he responded, "That would be Galbadia Garden."

"Galbadia Garden?" Selphie asked worried, "They are run by the Galbadian military."

"They cannot turn us over without our Garden's consent," Squall informed Selphie, "Part of the Garden Alliance Pact."

"Right," Quistis answered, "We have to head to East Academy, and then walk to Galbadia Garden from there," she stated, causing Zell to swing around quickly.

"Walk? Why?" he asked, obviously tired of walking.

"The air transport station from East Academy to Galbadia Garden has been down for months." Quistis told him, causing Zell to flail his arms. "We'll have to cut through the ravine through Rashfall Forest by Vaulny canyon. Galbadia Garden is on the other side." She finished.

Deloris, still in her night gown, step into the circle, "Well, whatever you decide, please be careful. Id hate to think I did all of this for nothing," she told them in a joking manner. Rinoa smiled and walked up to her, and give her a hug.

"Thanks Chief. You've been a lot of help." She stated, and then let go of the embrace. Deloris took Rinoa's hand and smiled.

"Anytime Rinoa. Take care." She stated, as the slowly and carefully exited the house one at a time.

Squall took point and Zell took rear as they ventured the half mile towards the nearest train station. They had to maintain distance because they didn't want to give the suspicion they were in a group. Squall was a bit surprised by the fact that there were no G-Army soldiers roaming the streets, especially given the circumstances. He was aware things had calmed, but there was less G-Army presence now than there was in years.

Although he was very suspicious, the group didn't have a choice. Even if it was a trap, they were sitting ducks if they didn't leave the city. The main concern for them now was, could Galbaidia Garden be trusted?


	21. Chapter XVII: Revelations

**Chapter XVII**

_**Revelations**_

**Thursday, May 4th 4268/**

**0606 hrs**

The purple-bluish sky grew brighter by the moment as the sun continued to creep its way over the horizon and lit up the dim streets of Timber. There was a slight downcast of steady rainfall, but nothing too heavy. The trek to the train station was not a long one, but a slow one, as the SeeD's remained wary of possible traps that may be waiting for them courtesy of the Galbadian Army. The streets were unusually barren, even for that time of day. It had been many years since the streets of Timber were that peaceful, which was undoubtedly due to the peculiar absence of Galbadian soldiers. Even in the mornings, they would usually be out harassing the townspeople as they made their way to work.

Squall's head was spinning as they were within a two blocks of the Larkin Train Station on the western edge of Timber. He was scanning the area with eyes, and trying to piece together several puzzles. _Where are the G-Army soldiers? What happened to Seifer? Was Balamb Garden trying to reach them? Who was the new sorceress?_ He had too many questions and too few answers, which was not a situation he liked to be in, because without answers, he had little control.

As they turned down the next road, which led to the train station, Squall quickly studied the area. There were about a dozen people, mainly Timberian men getting ready to go to work. However, about a hundred yards a head was a suspicious figure walking in their direction. He was wearing a grey poncho which hung down over his face, concealing his identity. Squall quickly took notice of his immediate surroundings and even focused with Quezecotl to discern the possibility of this being an elaborate trap. Not finding anything out of the ordinary, he focused on the figure ahead, who was now within fifty yards and approaching.

Within seconds, the figure was within a few yards. Suddenly, the cloaked person lifted his arms and began to reach towards the front of the cloak. Squall, who was rightfully paranoid, acted quickly and grabbed the man's arms and pushed him into a rusted gate that belonged to a car repair shop. Squall took out his small blade and pressed it to the captives neck.

"Who are you?" he demanded in a soft but angry voice, trying not to draw much attention. He reached for the front of the poncho and uncovered the man's frightened face, noticing him immediately.

"Please don't hit me, sir!" Watts begged as he held up his arms, with his mussed up brown hair hanging in his face. Squall immediately disengaged and let Watts go. Rinoa ran up to him quickly.

"Watts!" she exclaimed and hugged him, happy to see her friend was still alive.

"Princess!" he returned the excitement and the embrace, "I'm so happy you are alright. I received word you were with the Chief and…" he stated but was cut off by Rinoa.

"Sorry Watts, but we don't have much time," she told him, "We are headed to East Academy. Do you know if there are any soldiers at the train station?" she inquired, but Watts shook his head.

"No…none. In fact, I haven't seen a single Galbadian soldier since last night,", Watts stated exuberantly, "Think we scared 'em off! As for the trains, you need to hurry. I just found out they are shutting down the lines again soon." Watts finished. Squall pondered the reasoning they could be shutting down the lines again right after they were reopened.

"Something isn't right. We need to get out Timber", he told the members of his group and then looked at his watch.

"Damn," Zell cussed, "So what do we do?"

"The lines are not completely shut down yet," Watts responded. "In fact, there is still one last train bound for East Academy departing in about twenty minutes." He informed them, all showing relief, except Squall, who knew nothing was a sure thing.

"Okay, we're getting on that train then," Squall told his group with confidence, and began moving forward again, not even acknowledging Watts as he brushed by him. Zell and Selphie followed, as Quistis waited for Rinoa.

"You're going too, right Rinoa." Watts asked and she nodded in confirmation.

"Yes, I have to see this through. What about you? Will you be safe?" she asked.

Watts laughed and waved her off, "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Rinoa gave him a small smile and hugged him again.

"Be careful Watts. It may get hectic again," she told him. Zone nodded and began to cover back up with the poncho.

"I will," he stated, and turned slowly as he covered his face again and crossed the street, splashing through a giant puddle as he made his way to the other sidewalk.

The group continued to the train station and made it there without interruption ten minutes later. They were greeted by a sea of people who were trying to get out of Timber. Some were Galbadian travelers who were trying to get back home, and some were just Timberian's who were tired of living in slum city. As Squall and the group began to weave their way through the crowd, a voice blared over the outdoor intercom.

"_Attention travelers_", the female voice blared,_ "The 7:30 train to East Academy has been sold out. We hope to have trains up and running again by this evening. Please bear with us, and thank you for your cooperation." _Quistis looked at Squall with a concerned expression.

"Great, " Selphie stated with exasperation, "Now what?"

The group stood amidst a swarm of irate people, who were now starting to file out of the ticket purchasing area, while those who had a ticket were heading towards the boarding platform. Squall looked around, trying to think of something. They couldn't afford to draw much attention, but they also couldn't afford to stay in Timber much longer with all the uncertainty. Just then, a grey bearded homeless man dressed in ratty, torn clothes bumped into Rinoa and extended a tin can, seemingly asking for a donation.

"I'm sorry sir, I don't have any money," Rinoa quickly and politely told him, and turned back around. The man grabbed her slender arm and began tugging. Zell noticed and grabbed the man by the collar.

"She said back off, asshole," Zell told the man angrily through clenched teeth. The man raised his arms and with eyes wide open.

"Guys, it's me!" he whispered loudly. Zell narrowed his brow in confusion and Rinoa looked closer. Even she had trouble distinguishing who it was, but then she looked beyond the fake beard and crusted dirt on his face.

"…Zone?" Rinoa questioned, then smiled, "I didn't even recognize you."

Zone looked around while responding, "Good, my disguise is working well then."

"What are you doing here?" Rinoa asked.

"Chief," he began, "…she told me you were heading to East Academy en route to that Garden. I got here just in time" he explained. The group smiled in relief of the good news, except Squall, who remained stoic as usual.

"Youre amazing Ollie!" Rinoa exclaimed discreetly, wanting to hug him. Zone reached into the green plastic bag he was carrying and pulled out five boarding passes for East Academy.

"Here ya go," he said as he handed Rinoa four of the tickets, "And the last one's for me. Watts is going to stay back and help the Forest Foxes and take a train out in a few days," Rinoa looked down at the tickets, and then back at the group of SeeD's. Zone wasn't aware of Quistis presence with the group, and therefore did not purchase one for her, which presented a dilemma.

"What about Quistis?" Squall asked, as Zone looked over at the young blonde he hadn't met before.

"Oh, I didn't know…" he stated, looking down at his ticket, feeling bad. Quistis tried to dismiss the group's worries.

"It's okay. I'll take the next train out," she assured them, but Squall wasn't fond of that idea.

"That could be days," he stated, and Quistis nodded with a sigh. If the G-Army returned and identified her as a SeeD, she could be taken prisoner or worse. Not only did she not know Timber well, but she didn't really fit in amongst those who called Timber 'home'.

Zone knew this, and knew what he had to do.

"Here, take mine," Zone reluctantly insisted as he extended the ticket towards her. Quistis, seemingly shocked by the gesture, waved it off.

"I can't take that. It's yours," she stated. She knew the risks, but didn't want to put her safety over his.

"I know this place better than you. It's safer if I stay behind." Zone demanded, shaking the ticket, trying to get her to take it. Quistis slowly began to reach out, but still hesitated.

"Are you sure?" she asked, just before the man grimaced in pain and clutched his stomach.

"Ahh…" Zone bellowed, and then basically forced the ticket to Quistis as the train began to make final boarding calls, "Uhh, just take it. You guys better go, the train's about to leave."

"Thank you," Quistis expressed her gratitude, almost tearfully. Zone, still in pain, walked over to Rinoa and took her hand.

"Rinoa…if we don't see each other again, it's been an honor fighting with you," he whispered, and then turned around to walk away, but Rinoa quickly pulled him back and hugged him with tears in her eyes.

"Don't talk like that Zone!" she demanded, "You have to survive, no matter what. We have to liberate Timber together, remember?" she reminded him as he returned the hug.

"I'll be fine. I'll find somewhere to hide," he told her and then smiled.

"Rinoa." Squall interrupted and gestured to her that they needed to go. Rinoa slowly pulled away from Zone, hoping it wouldn't be the last time she laid eyes on her friend. Rinoa headed towards the boarding platform, and as Squall followed, felt a hand grab his bicep.

"Take care of her," the voice said. It was Zone, who had a unyielding glare in his eyes as he told Squall, "I mean it. I'll kill you if something happens to her," Zone stated, glaring at Squall for a moment before turning to leave.

Squall didn't respond well to threats, but knew the intentions were good. They were close friends and Zone obviously cared for her. That kind of dedication and compassion were not familiar to Squall, so he found it unusual. Still, he planned to make good on that demand.

Squall passed the porter, handed his boarding pass to the ticket taker, and made his way on board.

They were finally leaving Timber.

* * *

**Thursday, May 4th 4268/**

**0849 hrs**

The room was dark, as it had been all night; the only source of light being the small television in the room, which radiated colorful spectrums of light onto the walls and throughout the small, confined space. It had been replaying the same two minutes of video for the previous seven hours. His eyes were drooping and strained, sometimes focusing so hard that he could see each individual pixel of the screen. The rewind button on the remote was fading and loose from overuse, and if Xu wouldn't have shown up when she did, he may have never stopped.

"Sir", the familiar Estharian voice asked as she knocked on the door to the Headmaster's private quarters. He did not react however, his eyes remaining glued to the television screen.

Xu knocked again and slowly crept the door open, and the vibrant light of the sun that flooded Cid's office found its way into his chambers. Cid remained seated on the end of his bed with his glasses lying right next to him. Xu could tell, even from five feet away that his eyes were bloodshot and that the Headmaster was pale and emotionless.

Slowly, she walked closer to the Headmaster, very concerned for his well being. She noticed his deadpan gaze, which was disturbingly focused on the images on the television. Looking over, she noticed what it was immediately. Vinzer Deling announcing that he was now in league with a sorceress. However, it wasn't just _A_ sorceress.

She was something much more than that.

Xu didn't know what to say to comfort him, but he was first to break the awkward silence.

"I…I failed to protect her," Cid stated in a low, groggy voice. Xu's heart dropped and she sunk to a knee, and took his hand.

"Headmaster, you can't blame yourself for this," she told him with a saddened, but empathizing tone. Cid once again hit the rewind button as he continued staring blankly at the screen.

"I should've brought her here. I should've been with her," he stated, almost like he was telling himself.

Xu shook her head and moved closer to him, "She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to endanger everyone, especially the children."

"She wasn't a danger to anyone," Cid responded immediately and pushed play again, watching as Deling was introduced again and trying to imagine what he put his wife through, "The only danger was that son of a bitch! Hyne knows what he did to her." Cid stated, some emotion finally littering his voice.

"Sir, there was nothing you could've…" Xu began, but was abruptly cut off as emotion finally got the best of the Headmaster.

"SHE'S MY WIFE GOD DAMNIT!!!!" Cid shouted so loud that it probably echoed down every hallway in Garden. He shot to his feet, grabbed the small television, and threw it across the room into the dark wooden wall, which then smashed to the ground. Cid fell to his knees, breathing heavily.

Xu again knelt by his side and laid a hand on his back to comfort him, "Headmaster…should I call Regina?" she asked, wondering if Cid needed medical attention. He reached his hand up slowly to stop her.

"No…no," he told her, out of breath, but Xu was still very concerned, "I…I'm sorry Xu." Cid told her, and slowly picked himself off the ground and dusted off his pants he had been wearing from the day before. Cid took in another deep breath and let out a lengthy exhale before continuing.

"Its been a rough few days. I just…needed to…" he began to explain, ashamed of his small outburst he just displayed. Still, Xu understood knew it couldn't be easy.

"It's alright sir. I understand," she told him with a smile, "I just wanted to make sure you prepared for the conference at 1200 hours."

"Yes," Cid nodded, although it was the last thing on his mind, "I will be ready"

With that, Xu nodded and exited the room, once again leaving the Headmaster to himself. All he could think about was his wife, and what Deling must've done to her for her to join league with him. She was one of the most caring and compassionate people he had ever known, and Deling was a monster that would stop at nothing for absolute control.

At that moment, something changed in Cid Kramer. He had spent the past weeks feeling sorry for himself, without considering what his wife would do if the positions were reversed. He damn sure knew she wouldn't be wallowing in self pity and throwing televisions across the room. She would be trying to protect the people that depended on her and doing everything she could to find him.

He needed to stop being Cid Kramer the grieving husband, and start being Cid Kramer, Headmaster of Balamb Garden.

* * *

**Thursday, May 4th 4268/**

**1104 hrs**

The strategic conference room inside the presidential palace was rarely used. During his long administration, Deling merely liked to bark orders and let his minions do all the work. Deling was not a military man nor a war strategist, but was about as ruthless as any leader in history. He just didn't get his hands dirty.

There several rather large, flat screened monitors along the walls of the room, which Deling used to hold press conferences with leaders of other nations, but that was the only real purpose it served. Five highly decorated Galbadian Army soldiers sat at the long table in their dress black uniforms, awaiting for their Commander-in-Chief to grace them with their presence.

Suddenly, the door to the room opened and a presedential agent stepped in, followed by the president himself. The soldiers snapped to attention and gave the proper salute.

"Mr. President," Colonel Rappaport acknowledged. Deling did not return the salute, and was looking at the five soldiers intently.

"Where is Caraway?" he asked, seemingly angry over one man's absence.

"He is with the Deling City police commissioner and Mayor Davies making final preparations for Tuesday's parade, Mr. President," Rappaport informed.

"Very well," Deling nodded and continued towards his chair at the head of the table, "Have all troops been pulled from Timber?"

"Yes Mr. President, and the General was hoping you could shed some light as to why?" he told Deling, who stared at him for a moment, and then continued as if the question was never asked.

"And what have we learned about Balamb Garden's involvement in Timber?" he inquired, looking at the other soldiers and giving them intimidating looks.

"Well, as far as we know, the attack against you was a lone act by Seifer Almasy. He was being detained at Balamb Garden and escaped,", Intelligence Specialist Major Wright answered, "The other SeeD's were there to detain him, but presidential security got in their way."

"They killed 39 of my men including agents and soldiers," Deling snapped, quite lividly, "And not being able to control a single rogue cadet is a testament to their incompetence. For that reason alone I should bury them!" he shouted gruffly.

The Galbadian military was always reluctant to act against Balamb Garden. Not only because SeeD's were so well trained, but also because the Galbadian military used SeeD's in situations when they didn't want to be directly implicated in certain unlawful affairs and were also receiving a great deal of financial return from them through certain shady channels involving the Garden Faculty.

However, times were now changing, and it was clear that Deling may not have any use for Balamb Garden anymore.

"What would you like us to do sir?" Rappaport questioned and then listened intently.

"First off, prepare a unit of Vipers that can accompany my agents to Timber," he told him, speaking of Galbadia's most lethal soldiers, "We are going to take care of that mess once and for all," Deling finished. The last statement was very vague, but at the same time sounded very malevolent. The five men looked at each other, trying to hide the apprehension in their expressions.

"Sir," Rappaport started, "Could you please elaborate?" Again, Deling continued as if he never heard the question.

"Secondly, send word to Balamb Garden that we do not hold them accountable for the incident in Timber. I have bigger plans for them." Deling expressed, again leaving out the explicit details.

"Finally, bump up security measures for Tuesday nights parade. I don't want anymore surprises like today!" he ordered sharply, giving Rappaport and threatening glare. Rappaport compliantly nodded and continued.

"Mr. President, what about Seifer Almasy?" he began, the president's brow narrowing at the mention of the name, "Balamb keeps calling asking about his whereabouts. Do you know where he is?" At that moment Deling stood slowly from his chair and adjusted his suit jacket and tie, and the five soldiers stood up as well. Just as it seemed he was again going to ignore the question, he answered.

"Almasy is no longer a problem," Deling stated, once again not being very descriptive, "Break it to them easily," he stated with mock concern as he headed towards the door. The soldiers saluted again as he exited with his personal security guards.

The G-Army soldiers were left to themselves to piece together what the president just put out.

* * *

**Thursday, May 4th 4268/**

**1156 hrs**

Briefing room A in the western wing of Balamb Garden was silent, despite being full of SeeDs and Garden faculty. They were awaiting Headmaster Kramer's imminent arrival for the meeting that had been scheduled for noon. Clicks of pens, fingernails tapping the table and the occasion cough or sneeze were the only noises made for about three minutes. Just before the clock struck noon, the always punctual Cid Kramer entered the room. The SeeD's rose and gave the SeeD salute, but Cid quickly relieved them.

"Be seated," a tired looking and sounding Headmaster told them all and took his seat. "I'm sure we all know why we are here and the magnitude of the situation, so it's best if we start immediately," he continued and then looked down over the file before him. Cid stared blankly at it, struggling to keep his eyes open. He was exhausted, and while he was determined to see the current situation through to the end, it was taking its toll. After about a minute of pause, Cid spoke again.

"Chief Bryce, what did your investigation turn up regarding Seifer's whereabouts?" he asked the brown haired SeeD to enlighten him.

"Sir, unfortunately, we did not learn much. He was in studio C during the live broadcast with the president, and the last of what we know really happened is on camera when he attacked Deling. We put out a Code Red APB which has yielded no results thus far. He hasn't even been spotted in Galbadia where he is now the most wanted man alive," he informed the Headmaster, much to his chagrin. Still, without any intel on Seifer, there was nothing they could do, so Cid continued.

"What about Squall and the Timber mission squad? Maybe they know something that can help us," he questioned, hoping for a better answer. The brief pause and look on the intelligence team faces foretold their coming response.

"We still haven't been able to establish contact with them. It seems that Galbadian military has terminated all digital signals over there, and have yet to repair the radio signals and frequencies. At this point, all we have to contact Galbadia at the moment are land lines," Bryce answered. Cid removed his glasses and rubbed his strained eyes. With only landlines, it would not only be impossible for them to gather any real information, but they had no real means of locating the Timber team.

"Damn it," Cid muttered with and exhausted sigh, "Do we have any idea what the Galbadian Army and Deling are planning next?" he asked, and Master Sergeant Shipley spoke up.

"As stated, sir" the pale skinned SeeD began, "Without digital and radio signals, its been hard to collect intel. We have been notified that over two hundred thousand G-Army soldiers have been recalled back to Galbadia from around the world. There have been no reports thus far that tell us why," he finished, obviously disappointed he couldn't give the Headmaster better news. The headmaster shook his head and threw his glasses on the table before leaning back in his chair.

"Do we have any good news at all?" he questioned rather with unusual tension in his voice. Bryce's eyes widened before he nodded and replied.

"Yes sir, we have two of Seifer's accomplices in custody, as well as the SeeD on guard at the time he escaped. We also have an insider in the Galbadia secret service that is working on getting us more information about Deling and…" Bryce explained but then suddenly hesitated and looked around at his fellow SeeD's. There was an palpable awkwardness filling the room with each the second that passed. The Headmaster widened his eyes and tilted his head, gesturing for Bryce to finish his sentence.

"The s-sorceress, sir," he stuttered a bit, but got it out. The Headmaster understood why Bryce was apprehensive about saying the word. No one in the conference room would even make eye contact with the Headmaster at that point. Still, he had to let them know that he was still capable of being in charge despite the conditions.

"Very good," he nodded with a forced smile, and then paused, looking down at the table before him. He could make out his face in polished dark wood, distinguishing the bags under his eyes and they stubble that had formed on his chin. He just stared at the reflection for a moment, his expression changing with each passing moment from the fake smile to a sadistic glare, like he just saw his worst enemy and was contemplating doing something brash.

Suddenly, he regained his composure and looked up, noticing several SeeD's around looking at him with concern. Cid shot up out of his chair, his knee banging the underside of the conference tables, shaking the coffee cups and fluttered papers on top. With a noticeable lack of composure, the Headmaster spoke.

"If there is nothing else, this meeting is adjourned. We will reconvene when we get some new intel," Cid told them in a low, shaky voice and then left the room quickly before the SeeD's could even properly acknowledge him.

Cid needed to get out the room, for their sake and his own. He knew his men were probably inside discussing his demeanor, and probably even if he was fit to be running Garden and its operations. Cid had a great deal of respect for what his men thought of him, but at the moment, he couldn't care less.

* * *

**Thursday, May 4th 4268/**

**1606 hrs**

A million thoughts and worries ran through his head as he trotted up the stairs of his luxurious mansion atop Cherry Mountain, just inside the Deling City limits. He was making his way to his office after a meeting with his men and setting up the security and parade route for the upcoming parade. The entire situation made him sick to his stomach. Despite being in a position of high authority within the Galbadian Army; a position he spent his entire life trying to attain, he felt that power slipping away. For years, he did the presidents bidding, whether he liked it or not, but he could feel it all slipping through his fingers like grains of sand. The worst part about it all, was that he was almost powerless to stop it.

He turned down the long, dimly lit hallway en route to the large double doors that led into his office. Once inside, he locked the door, and stood there for a moment. He had an idea, one he had already began setting up a few days prior. The stakes were high though, and the odds were against him and whoever stood at his side. Because standing at his side meant standing against the ruthless president, and ultimately, the sorceress. But she was the reason his limelight was fading…she was the reason power was slipping away. Despite his best efforts, he had been unable to talk Deling down from joining ranks with her, but Deling rarely put much thought into what anyone around him thought, even if they were in a high ranking position. However, before the sorceress arose, the man at least had a voice in the president's ear, but with each passing day, felt as if he was becoming nothing more than a memory.

He turned and made a slow walk towards his desk. The office had wooden floors and expensive rugs, with antique furniture in the center, including three royal red chairs, an elegant table, and a golden couch with plush green upholstery. The walls were green, with two large windows along the inner wall which looked out onto the magnificent city. Several paintings adorned the walls of the office, and a large book case ran the length of the outer wall and the back wall, with a large golden chandelier which hung above, illuminating the entire room.

He sat back in the brown leather chair behind his desk, staring at the phone. The decision he had to make was a tough one; probably the toughest he ever had to make. Most decisions he made weren't life or death, at least not for him. If he put the plan in motion there was no turning back, and failure was not an option.

The man wasn't worried about himself, though. He had stared death in the face so many times that it was almost boring to him now. It was about everything else that was at stake. The decisions he had made in the past had already cost him more than he ever wanted to pay, but he vowed to always protect the life of his men and family.

Glancing off to the side, he noticed a picture on his desk, well over a decade old, that reminded him of better times. The picture had three people; two adults and a child. One was a man he hardly recognized anymore, younger and happy. The other was an image of lost love, a beautiful woman who showed him a side to life he never knew. The other was a little girl, with short black hair, no older than four years but had a striking resemblance to the lady in the picture. They were all hugging and happy. He couldn't look at that picture without reminiscing, so he quickly laid the picture face down. He had more important issues to attend to.

On a whim, he decided to move forward. Not because he wanted to, but because that's what he felt needed to be done; for the sake of Galbadia and the entire world. He picked up the phone and dialed the number on his secure line. With each ring, he thought about hanging the phone up. He wasn't used to second guessing himself, but the cost of failure was unfathomable. Before he could continue contemplating the consequences, he heard the other end of the line pick up.

"Edwin, its me," the man spoke.

"I've been expecting your call, Jonathan," the man on the other end replied. They had talked a few days earlier about the matter, but nothing had been set in stone. After finding out what Deling wanted done and what little information he gave his men, he knew what needed to be done.

"We are going to have to go ahead with our plan," he spoke, "We don't have much time."

"I have our man ready," the voice on the other end informed him.

"Can we trust him to get the job done?" he asked, sternly with a hint of concern. A small chortle came from the other end of the line.

"No soldier in the G-Army can do what he can do with a gun," the man stated, confidently. He trusted the man's judgment, but given the unconventional circumstances was not entirely comfortable.

"I'll take your word for it," he answered.

"He can't do it alone, though," the voice on the other side stated, "The only reason I can provide him is because he isn't officially enrolled here."

And there lied the problem. They only had a short amount of time to prepare, and they didn't have a wide range of options. They had to be very cautious about who they divulged information to. While he knew of many people that opposed the forthcoming regime, he was never a trustful person and hadn't figured out anyone he could trust just yet. Still, he got the point, and agreed with it.

"Alright…Ill see what I can do," he answered with a slight sigh, and then hung up the phone.

* * *

**Thursday, May 4th 4268/**

**1722 hrs**

After the meeting, Cid took a much needed nap before resuming his work for the day. He didn't feel much better, but he wasn't as drained as he was a few hours earlier. He had made his way down to the disciplinary area, where he had some unfinished business.

The elevator stopped, and he, along with Xu and a Garden faculty member stepped out. Two young cadets sat handcuffed at the interrogation table, both looking bored and somewhat angry as the president and his party strode up to the table. Xu stood before them, and spoke.

"Student numbers 21907 and 22611, Raijinal Haran and Kalei Fujinaka…do you know why you are here?" Xu asked the two cadets, better known as Raijin and Fujin, but got absolutely no response, verbally or nonverbally. The Garden faculty member stepped forward.

"Talk!" he shouted, "Don't waste the Headmaster's time," Cid never could stand how impatient the Garden faculty often was. However, Cid ignored it, and slowly sat down before Raijun and Fujin.

"I'm sure you both know what kind of trouble you are in," the Headmaster informed them a low, sympathetic tone, "The only way I can help you is if you help us find Seifer." He finished, but again got nothing.

"Sir'" the Garden faculty member called Cid over to the side after seeing the detainee's reluctance to help in the investigation, "This isn't working. They aren't going to tell us anything. I suggest a…different approach." Cid's eyes narrowed and he shrugged.

"Such as?" he asked. The faculty member paused for a moment and then leaned in.

"Forced extraction," he whispered. Cid was confused for a moment, but after running it through his mind, came up with the unthinkable conclusion it sounded like was suggested.

"Torture?" Cid questioned harshly, the lack of a response from the faculty member being more than enough to affirm him that is what he meant. "After all these years, I would think you'd know better than to even suggest something like that to me!" he snapped back, and began to walk away, before feeling a tight grasp around his arm.

"We are running out of time, and these two know where Almasy is. We don't have time for your ethical standards, Headmaster," the faculty member insisted. Cid ripped his arm away and leered at the Garden faculty member. He hated what NORG and the Garden faculty was trying to turn Garden into. As long as he held the authority of Headmaster, he would never let anything like that happen.

Cid walked back over to the table and sat down, staring at Raijin and Fujin. Neither made eye contact or observed his presence. He would never consider torturing them, but thought of something else that may work.

"You two don't want to help us? Fine," the headmaster began with a sharp tone, but remained calm, "But Seifer may be killed if you don't help us. What you need to think about is, do you want him to be in trouble with us, or with the Galbadian government?" Cid questioned, again getting no response. Still, he could see their eyes moving, obviously considering what he had to say.

After about a minute, they were led back to their cells, and the next matter of business was attended to. SeeD Staff Sergeant Bradley Lynch was led to the integration table by to SeeD's and sat down before the Headmaster. He was a major reason for Seifer's escape, and it was not the first time he got in trouble. He was sweating and had a desperate look on his face.

"Headmaster, please you gotta listen to me," he pleaded, almost sobbing. One of SeeD's pounded the table.

"Shut the hell up! You'll know when he wants you to talk," the Seed shouted. Cid waved him off, seeing no need for the hostility. He then looked back to Lynch.

"Bradley…" he began, calmly, "I've given you chance after chance. Between your temper, your poor evaluations and this…what do you expect me to do?" he asked, Lynch again panting a bit.

"Headmaster, you and I have always had a good relationship," Lynch stated, obviously trying to kiss up, "Just try to see my side of this. Almasy was running his mouth. In the Galbadian Army, we never put up with this. You have to let these punks know their role sometimes," he stated, his tone becoming tougher with each word he spoke. The two SeeD's began to laugh.

"Yeah, you really showed him," the blonde SeeD spoke, "He laid your fat ass out without breaking a sweat," he finished as the two SeeD's continued laughing. The Headmaster stared impatiently at the humored SeeD's, causing them to immediately stop laughing. He then looked back at Lynch.

"This isn't the G-Army Brad, not matter how much you want it to be! And you were discharged for conduct unbecoming of a soldier. I gave you a chance because I thought you wanted to change," the Headmaster stated and shook his head, "But, I was wrong," he stated and stood up, Lynch knowing what was coming.

"Please, Headmaster…no," he said on the verge of tears as he stood up, the two SeeD's walking up behind him in case he tried anything.

"Im sorry Brad," the Headmaster stated with a deep breath, "You will remain in incarceration until we can think of the appropriate action, but as of this moment…you are no longer a SeeD. "he finished. Lynch just stared blankly at the Headmaster for a moment, seemingly in shock. Cid felt bad, but Lynch had proven time and time again he was not up to the responsibility of being a SeeD. The Headmaster nodded to the two SeeD's that he was finished, and him, Xu and the faculty member headed back towards the elevator. Before they could reach it, a voice blared out.

"Cid!" Lynch called out loudly in an angry tone. Cid turned to see Lynch scowling fiercly at him. Cid took a few steps forward, not breaking eye contact.

"You're gonna regret this," Lynch bitterly spat, the two SeeD's becoming more aggressive with him after his threat. Cid did not respond to threats, nor did he take Lynch's threat too seriously. He merely shrugged it off and continued towards the elevator.

* * *

**Thursday, May 4th 4268/**

**1937 hrs**

The train headed for East Academy was currently passing through Jezeppi, three hundred miles east of the Dingo Desert. The ETA was approximately 12:30 AM, so they would have to travel through the night if they hoped to make it to Galbadia Garden by morning.

The cabins on the train weren't nearly as big and glamorous as the SeeD escorts, but the group made due. Zell and Selphie listed to music and played Triple Triad. Rinoa stared out the window most of the time. Quistis practiced her blue magic, and Squall worked on cleaning and sharpening his gunblade.

It was now around dinner time, and the group was eating the meals the train provided, were frozen TV dinners with meatloaf, veggies and a small brownie. The food was hardly delicious, but at the time, they didn't have many other options. Rinoa reentered the cabin with the food and looked around. Zell and Selphie were still together, talking and laughing. Squall was by himself, as usual. She thought she might go try to talk to him, but ultimately decided against it. Then, she noticed Quistis, sitting alone. She looked up and smiled, and Rinoa made her way over.

"Can I sit with you?" Rinoa asked. Quistis chuckled.

"You don't have to ask," she stated, "I'd enjoy some company."

"Thanks," Rinoa smiled, sat then looked over at Squall, "Should we invite him over?" she asked, causing Quistis to smirk.

"Do you really think he would?" she asked, and both laughed. Still, Rinoa felt sad that he was such a loner. There was nothing she could do so she let it go. There was silence for a few moments. Quistis and Rinoa still didn't know each other that well and both had a lot on their mind. Eventually, Rinoa broke the silence.

"Quistis…if you don't mind me asking, what did Seifer say, you know, about why he was doing this?" she asked, taking a bite of the plastic textured vegetables. Quistis put down her fork and wiped her mouth.

"He didn't say too much, just that it was for a friend. I didn't believe him, at first. He's always so smug, I figured it was for his own benefit," she told Rinoa, who seemed a bit surprised.

"Oh. That doesn't sound like the Seifer I knew. He wanted to help us out so much. He said once he became a SeeD, he wouldn't stop until Timber was independent again," Rinoa stated, smiling with obvious fond memories of him. Quistis was taken back a bit by her obvious feelings for Seifer, but responded to the statement nonetheless.

"Of course not, he's too stubborn just to give up," she stated, somewhat jokingly, but not really. Rinoa gave a faint smile and took a bite of the gravy softened meatloaf. Quistis, thinking Rinoa may have taken it the wrong way, continued.

"I'm sorry Rinoa. Squall and I have a long history with Seifer, and we know how he is. I'm not trying to put him down," Quistis explained and Rinoa nodded.

"It's okay. I know he can be," she told Quistis before pausing, once again recalling old memories of him, "I just…I knew him in a different way too, you know? He has a good side." She stated and bowed her head. After a moment, Quistis responded.

"Yeah…I know he does," Quistis agreed with some sadness in her voice, "I just wish he showed it more." Rinoa grinned and nodded.

"Well, Seifer is the one who introduced me to Cid and submitted my request for SeeD's. Without him I couldn't have done it. He even got me invited to the SeeD ball last week," Rinoa told Quistis, causing her head to shoot up so fast the glasses almost fell off her face.

"You were at the inauguration ball?" Quistis asked, a little shocked that she was there. Rinoa nodded.

"Yes. Cid sent me an invitation, so we could talk a bit more about the Forest Owls plans," she explained, "I talked to Seifer, and even got to meet Mr. Excitement over there," she stated and pointed over to Squall.

For a moment, Quistis thought little of it. She looked over at Squall, then back to Rinoa, and then back to Squall again. She recalled the dance that night, where Squall was showing a rare side of himself. She watched from the upstairs balcony as he danced, wishing she was the girl with him on the dancefloor. _The girl he danced with and was close with, and shared a rare intimate moment with. The girl in the creamy white dress. The girl with the raven black hair…_

"Oh. So you were…" Quistis muttered, suddenly overwhelm with confusion and even a little jealousy. She looked at Rinoa, who was waiting for her to continue. Quistis forced a smile on her face.

"Umm…nevermind," she stated and stood up, "Would you excuse me? I have to use the restroom," she told Rinoa, and quickly exited the cabin.

Rinoa, somewhat bewildered by Quistis suddenly strange behavior, dismissed it for the moment and looked over at Squall, who was lying back resting. She didn't know how to feel about him. All he had really done was anger her and talk to her like a child in the short time they had known each other.

Then again, that was exactly how Seifer had treated her when they first met.

* * *

**Thursday, May 4th 4268/**

**2133 hrs**

The long day was finally coming to an end at Balamb Garden. No further developments were made in any of the investigations they were conducting, but Cid was hopeful that tomorrow would bring better news. He had to remain hopeful. That's what _she_ would've wanted.

He entered his dimly lit office; the stars in the sky protruding through the skylight, giving him a magnificent view that few places could offer. Looking down, he noticed Xu standing before his desk waiting for him.

"Xu, why are you still here?" Cid asked as he closed the door and made his way torwards his desk, "It's been a long day. Go home and get some rest," he told her, but as he neared her, noticed and distressing expression on her face.

"Xu, what is it?" he asked, reaching over to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I just received word from General Doyb of the Galbadian Army…" she began and paused for a moment, "They will not be retaliating against Garden for what happened in Timber," she finished. Cid was a bit confused regarding the demeanor in which she delivered the message.

"Well, that sounds like good news," he told her with a smile as he walked around his desk. Xu again paused, before delivering the bad news.

"There was something else, sir," she began, he tone becoming even lower and grimmer, "Seifer…", she began, but didn't finish as Cid cut her off.

"Have they found h…" he was about to ask, before noticing something on Xu's face. Something he never expected, especially considering their history.

_A single tear._

Actions quite often spoke louder than words. Xu said nothing else, nor did she did need too. That single tear told him everything he needed to know. That single tear represented Seifer's life…there one moment, and gone the next. Seifer was the most consistently problematic student he had ever had at Garden. Usually nothing major, just headaches he caused through the years by disregarding Garden policies, like teasing other cadets or violating curfew. Cid recalled one particular instance when Seifer became a teenager, him sneaking into the guard station, getting on the intercom and stating that he was now in charge of Garden and that all SeeD's should report to him.

At the time, it seemed liked a rebel child causing problems. Looking back on it, it seemed like nothing more than a boy with the world at his feet, having fun.

Cid fell into his chair and stared ahead blankly in the dimly lit office.

That single tear was no longer alone.

* * *

**Okay, so, the question remains….what happened to Prodigy?**

**Well, I know its been awhile and Ive had tons of requests to keep going, and after about 5 years, here I am.**

**A lot has changed in my life, which I don't much feel like getting into. Nothing TOO grim, but just some rough times.**

**Why did I come back to this? Ive always always ALWAYS loved the story and characters of Final Fantasy 8. More than any past or present videogame or even book Ive read.**

**Im to the point where I am doing this more for me, though. In the past, I think I wanted it more for reviews and to see what people thought. While I still value feedback, reviews aren't going to fuel this story. It would be nice to know people are reading and like the story, but as I said, its not nearly the motivation it was 5 years ago.**

**First off, I want to thank Bradley McCloud for his help. He pointed out some mistakes in my last chapter, which admittedly, I rushed. I edited it and even added another segment (a good one), so check it out.**

**I will tell everyone now though, it will not be perfect. I do not have the time or patience to read over it several times before I release it. I will fix things I notice. Real authors have MANY people who read over their stuff before they release it to catch mistakes. This if for fun…a place to let my mind soar. I don't have a crew of people looking over my work. I don't mind contructive criticism, but if you notice errors…do not lay heavy blows because I will not respond nicely. If you tell me like Bradley McCloud did, I will happily make the changes.**

**I could use a Beta Reader…but Im not going to search for one. If someone wants to volunteer, I will look over your work and get back to you. Ive had beta readers in the past that either took forever or really didn't help me much at all. If I turn you down, do not be offended. I have a certain method and I wont accept someone who I don't think will really help me much.**

**Anyway, on with the story notes…**

Lots of new stuff in this chapter…lots more coming.

I recently played some FF8 and realized how corny some of the text is, how goofy the characters act at times and how many annoying story pits there are. I will be adding a ton and deleting some stuff I don't think is really needed. Nothing major, but…you get the gist of it.

At the last minute, I changed up the 2nd dream sequence. It was supposed to happen next chapter, but I switched some stuff around. Don't want to give away too much, but it will probably happen after NEXT chapter.

Don't know what else to say right now. The character "Bradley Lynch" is based on the CO Brad Billick from the show "Prison break"…just in case there are fans in the house.

One last note…some clown went ahead and copied stuff from mine and Peptucks FF8 novels and is claiming it as his own**. ****Final Fantasy VIII : The Leonhart Sagas** by **xngus.**

I reported it to the site admin. Hopefully it is addressed. I have no respect for people like that.


	22. Chapter XVIII: Unexpected Visitors

**Chapter XVIII**

_**Unexpected Visitors  
**_

**Friday, May 5th 4268/**

**0713 hrs**

Flickers of life-energizing sunlight weaved through the crown canopy of the countless leaves and branches of Rashfall Forest, which lied between Yaulny Canyon near the Monterosa Plateau on the northeastern edge of Galbadia. It had been a long night for the SeeD's and Rinoa as they made their way through the often pitch black forest en route to Galbadia Garden. The encountered a few fiends they had never faced before, at times choosing to simply hide or run, especially since they weren't familiar with some of them and didn't know how dangerous they were. For the most part though, the trek was fairly unadventurous. They had to stop to make a fire a few times to get warm, and Zell sprained his ankle trying to jump over a creek, but nothing too out of the ordinary.

They reached East Academy near midnight, and wasted no time making their way through the small town towards Rashfall Forest. They stopped at a 24-hour convenience store to grab some food, water, flashlights and a map to prepare for the voyage ahead. After doing so, they entered the woods in the dead of night; the forbidding sounds of the wildlife and fiends welcoming them to their abode. Rinoa, obviously frightened, clung closely to Quistis and Squall the entire night. Squall felt like a babysitter having to take care of someone that had no means of defending themselves, but it was odd. Something about Rinoa's presence calmed him. He wasn't sure what it was or why that was the case, so he didn't bother trying to analyze it.

Squall didn't know the forest at all, and neither did those in his company. He had ventured through the woodlands in the Alcaud Plains in Balamb, but most of them had set trails which were cleared by other SeeD's so cadets wouldn't get lost, but this was virgin territory for him. All SeeD's were required to learn basic navigational and survival training, but most SeeD's didn't have any real hands on experience, and were instead taught to adapt to new situations as they went along. For the most part, he made due with his small compass and cheap map along with Quezacotl's ever alerting presence in his mind, but he hoped his career as a SeeD wouldn't lead him into the wild too much.

They had been walking through the forest for nearly six hours, and had already stopped several times to take a break, mainly for Rinoa. The trail they had taken was anything but straight. It dipped, raised, sloped, zig-zagged and broke off constantly. They often had to climb over, under or walk around large rocks, jagged branches and fallen trees that were in their path. After about another hour of constant moving, Rinoa stopped, out of breath.

"Can we take a break," she gasped. Squall stopped and put his head down, obviously annoyed. He was tired too, but knew the sooner they got to Galbadia Garden, the better off they would be. The others leaned against nearby trees or sat on rocks. Squall looked at the map and stared into the distance, noticing they didn't have far to go.

"Sorry guys, I'm not used to all of this," Rinoa apologized as she took a drink of water. Zell waved her off.

"No need to apologize," he said as he took off one of his shoes and began to rub his foot, "My dogs are killing me too!"

For nearly a minute after that, no one said a word. The sounds of the early morning forest filled the air; thousands of various birds chirping in the trees and in the skies, the branches above fluttering in the morning wind, and various other sounds of nature that didn't seem nearly as intimidating as they did during the night.

"Hey, I was just thinking…" Selphie suddenly broke the peaceful silence, and everyone looked in her direction. She paused for a moment with a worried expression on her face, "Do you think the Galbadian government will hold Balamb Garden responsible for what Seifer did?" she asked. No one answered immediately, just contemplated the question. Squall had no intention of responding, but was curious himself. Suddenly, Zell shot up.

"Whatever happens, happens! Why do you have to talk about that!" he exploded at Selphie and began pacing back and forth, frustrated mainly with himself.

"I'm sorry Selphie, I'm just worried about Garden. If anything happens to it, it'd be all my fault. I'm the one who said we were all from Garden," he told her, kicking some dirt and twigs near his feet.

"It's okay Zell, you were just trying to help," Selphie told him, but wasn't much consolation.

"I didn't realize what I did until after I said it, and now…" he stated in a somber tone, before looking up, and noticing the young man before him, staring at him.

"Squall…" Zell started, and trotted up to him, Squall raising his head, "Do you think the G-Army will attack Garden?"

Squall didn't know how to answer that, mainly because he didn't know. If they thought SeeD was in anyway involved with the attack, or if they found out they were supporting a Galbadian government resistance faction, then it was entirely possible. Deling was the exact opposite of a merciful or understanding leader, and would not hesitate to act if he felt Garden was in any way responsible. Of course, if Deling got a hold of Seifer, it could be a different story. He would probably opt to make an example out of Seifer, for SeeD and anyone who opposed him. _And the sorceress_…Squall didn't even know what to make of that.

In the midst of thought, Zell called out again, "Squall!" which caused him to look up and respond.

"Maybe," was all he could think of, much to the dismay of the young blonde brawler.

"B-but, there's a bunch of SeeD's and cadets at Garden! They wouldn't lose to the Galbadia Army would they?" Zell asked, desperation in his tone and expression. He didn't know what Zell wanted to hear, but Squall felt he needed to hear the truth.

"The G-Army is one of the most powerful in the world. If they want to destroy Garden, there isn't much we can do to stop them," he answered, obviously telling Zell what he didn't want to hear. Zell took a deep breath, like he was having trouble find air. He paced backwards, looking as if he wanted to cry. Squall turned around again, but was quickly scolded by Rinoa.

"Do you actually enjoy acting so callous towards your comrades?" she asked standing up, calmly but sternly, "Zell needs your support. You could at least be positive about it, she stated, and Squall mentally rolled his eyes before turning to her.

"All that does is put your mind at ease, it doesn't change the truth. If he wanted someone to tell him everything would be alright, he shouldn't have asked me," he explained with no real emotion in his voice.

"Don't you ever think about the well being of others!" she snapped back in a sharper tone. Squall looked off to the side for a moment and took a deep breath before answering.

"You aren't talking about the well being of others…you are talking about Zell's guilty conscience," he stated. Squall did care about the well being of those at Garden, but he wasn't about to lie to Zell and tell him everything was going to be fine, especially when he didn't know for sure. Squall turned his back to Rinoa and looked ahead.

"If you want to go pat his back and tell him everything is going to be okay, be my guest. " he stated and then turned his head, looking at Rinoa from the side of his eye, "I don't expect you to understand, Rinoa," he told her, and then began slowly walking forward, Rinoa stunned at his answer.

"What does that mean?" she asked in a low voice, somewhat offended by the comment. Quistis walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Its okay," she told Rinoa and smiled at her, "Let's go." Rinoa nodded and compliantly followed, but was still somewhat upset and confused by Squall's last comment.

* * *

**Friday, May 5th 4268/**

**0816 hrs**

It was another sleepless night for Cid Kramer, and that was to be expected. His eyelids drooped as the elevator descended towards the disciplinary area of Balamb Garden. He held a single folder in his hand, with a paper inside that held the fate of the remaining members of the disciplinary committee, Raijn and Fujin. They had aided Seifer in escaping Balamb and partly responsible for the way things turned out. Cid had fought for them, but he knew the Garden Council wasn't going to be gentle. They had to make an example out of someone, and since Seifer couldn't be held accountable, at least by Balamb Garden, it was on Raijin and Fujun now.

Fortunately, the Garden Council was a bit kinder than Cid had anticipated, and probably was a fitting punishment. Raijin and Fujin were really trouble makers, but they were outcasts for the most part; the only real friend they had aside from each other seemed to be Seifer, who they treated like a god.

The elevator finally reached the second basement level and Cid exited the elevator, with Raijin and Fujin already sitting at the interrogation table, as the Headmaster requested about fifteen minutes earlier. Two SeeD's stood behind them as a precautionary measure, but they really hadn't been difficult during their incarceration.

Cid walked up to the table, and sat down, looking at Raijin and Fujin, who again looked disinterested. Like the last meeting, it appeared as if they had no intentions of talking, but that's not what Cid was there for. Noticing their blank stares and uncaring demeanor, Cid decided to cut to the chase.

"The Garden council has ruled that you to are to be expelled immediately," the two raised their heads and looked at the Headmaster, but still not showing any particular emotions, "No official proceedings or anything. You will be escorted back to your rooms where you can gather your belongings, but you are to never set foot on Balamb Garden grounds again," Cid finished explaining and looked at them. Fujin and Raijin simply looked at each other for a moment before Fujin finally spoke.

"TRICK!" she spat out, confusing the Headmaster until Raijin elaborated.

"Fuu thinks this is a trick, ya know. To lead you to Seifer or somethin'," he stated with a nod. Cid took a deep breath and then took his glasses off. He hated delivering bad news, especially this time. The only reason they were being released is because their cooperation was no longer needed in Seifer's investigation. His fate had been sealed, and nothing would change that.

"I wish it were…" Cid stated in doleful voice, somewhat confusing the two former cadets until he finished, "…We believe Seifer may be dead. I received word he was tried…and executed." Both of their faces flashed with shock for a moment, but quickly changed to ones of anger and disbelief.

"LIES!" Fujin exclaimed as she shot from her chair, pointing at the Headmaster. The two SeeD's started to approach, but Cid called them off with one hand. Raijin nodded and leaned against the table.

"Fujin's right, ya know. Gotta be a lie. No way Seifer would stand for a trial. It's just so not Seifer, ya know?" he told Cid. They obviously were in denial, or they truly did believe Seifer was some kind of higher being. Whatever the case, they still believed Seifer was alive.

"FIND!" Fujin stated, slapping Raijin in the arm, causing him to stand. The Headmaster stood with them.

"Yep," Raijin nodded, "That's the first thing we're gonna do. We're gonna go find Seifer, ya know. But you better not follow us," he demanded and pointed his fingers, glaring at Cid and then the SeeD's. Cid then nodded to his SeeD's to escort them out.

"Alright, move it!" the one SeeD stated, pushing Raijin as he continued to glare.

Cid was left to himself. He looked around the large disciplinary area, noticing how empty and forlorn it was without anyone else in there. He began to walk around, and collected his thoughts. It all seemed surreal. He had known Seifer since he was a child, and even though he was always a trouble maker, Cid always had a soft spot for him, more so than pretty much any other cadet, probably because Seifer seemed like he needed someone more than anyone else. Seifer was a loner in his own right, much like Squall. Seifer had a lot of acquaintances, but never truly befriended anyone. It was another example of why Squall and Seifer were so similar; they just had different ways of pushing people away.

Still, Cid wished at that moment he had more time. Seifer never seemed interested in reform though, always content and confident with who he was. He was never one for authority, but Cid reluctantly and boldly appointed him the leader of the disciplinary committee, hoping it would give Seifer some discipline himself, but it didn't work how Cid had hoped. Cid just wondered if he had taken the time to really get into Seifer's head instead of just hoping time would mature him, if Seifer would still be there right now.

"Seifer…" Cid muttered to himself and leaned against the bars of the cell. Seifer was gone, and there was nothing he could do about that.

* * *

**Friday, May 5th 4268/**

**0827 hrs**

After about another hour of trudging through the woods, the group finally saw daylight. The gleaming rays of the sun shined brightly into the open end of the forest, where the wooded area finally came to an end. It was a long and tiring trek, but they made it through generally unscathed.

Upon stepping out of the heavily wooded and tree shaded forest for the first time in nearly eight hours, each shielded their sensitized eyes and felt the hot eyes of the sun staring right back at them. They made their way up a small embankment, which led to a level mount on the northeastern rim of the Monterosa Plateau.

As their eyes adjusted to the new light, they were able to see out into the distance, but all there was to see was a whole lot of nothing. The humid, muggy air made looking into the distance blurry, but there wasn't much too see anyway. To the sides were giant slabs of sedimentary rock protruding from the ground, with piles of detritus scattered around due to years of wind and weather erosion. In the distance were the dry, barren flatlands, with a few hoodoos and a few traces of desert flora. It was at least twenty miles away from any towns and open road aside from East Academy on the other side of the canyon.

After looking ahead for a few moments, Zell raised his arms in frustration.

"So? Where the hell is it?" he asked, almost whining. Squall pointing beyond the large rocks.

"Should be just around here," he said walking ahead of the group. About ten yards ahead, the view to the side opened up, giving way to a view of a colossal structure in the distance.

"Is that…" Selphie asked slowly, pointing to it. Zell, Selphie and Rinoa were in awe over what they were seeing. Even Squall was surprised to see how large it was in person. Quistis had never seen it from that view, but had been there before.

"Yes, that's Galbadia Garden." Quistis answered.

"Look how big it is!" Selphie exclaimed, comparing it to her former Garden, "You could fit like five Trabia Gardens in there."

As Squall looked around, trying to calculate how long it would take to make it there, he could hear what sounded like a faint humming or buzzing, that seemed to gradually be getting louder. Squall looked to Quistis.

"Do you hear that?" he asked her. She paused for a moment, focusing with Shiva and trying to listen.

"Kind of," she replied. The sound started to get slightly louder, and the SeeD's guardian forces began warning them of impending danger. Squall looked to Rinoa, who seemed baffled.

"Rinoa, stay behind us," he told her as she looked around, not seeing anything out of the ordinary.

"Why, whats wro…" she began to ask, but was cut off mid sentence as three robotic looking aircrafts arose from the side of the mount. Rinoa screamed in fright and ran behind the SeeD's, who armed their weapons, and were observing the crafts, which looked like flying robots with bipedal arms and legs. Suddenly, a voice blared from one of the machines.

"Freeze!" the male shouted, his voice echoing through the skies and reverberating back through the canyon, "You are violating the five mile proximity limit of Galbadia Garden! Put your weapons down or we will be forced to use deadly force," he ordered, and on cue, mini rail guns emerged from the side of the robotic machine, with lasers set right on them for precision aim.

The group knew that even with para-magic and guardian forces, that it would be difficult to defeat the airborne machines, especially considering they didn't know the defense mechanisms and other offensive firepower it had. More than that, Rinoa wasn't protected at all. Squall saw no choice but to surrender at the moment.

"Do what they say," Squall stated as he got to a knee, and his gunblade down, and raised his arms.

"What?" Zell questioned, still ready to fight.

"Just to do it," Squall demanded, annoyed by Zell's seeming inability to identify the circumstances. The SeeD's lowered their weapons and raised their hands, still unaware of whom or what they were dealing with. The group watched as the machines got closer and observed them. Squall could clearly see young men at the helm of these robotic vehicles, carefully observing them as the hovered closer to the ground before landing.

For a moment, the robots just stood before them, with the rail guns still pointed at the group. Squall could make out the Galbadian Army symbol decaled on the side. The men manning these machines appeared to be fairly young, and didn't appear to be wearing G-Army uniforms of any kind. Suddenly, the rail guns retracted back into the machine, and the metallic restraints and buckles that held the men into the machine retracted as well.

Stepping out, they were armed with triple railed RCP-90 submachine guns with armor piercing rounds. They kept their guns aimed at the trespassers as they neared them, studying them closer as the SeeD's did the same to them. The uniforms they wore were very similar to Balamb Garden cadet uniforms, but instead of navy blue and silver were black and maroon. The were also wearing modified military visors which not only protected their eyes from the suns rays and wind, but were also capable of night vision during night rovers.

"I am Grade 10 cadet Ryne Klarksdale…I am in charge of this security detail," the young man with the shaved head spoke to the SeeD's, still not sure who they were, "Identify yourselves!"

"Squall Leonhart, SeeD Field Sergeant from Bal…" he answered, but was cut off before he could go on.

"SeeD!" the armed gunman questioned bewilderedly and looked at his partners for a moment, who seemed just as confused, "What are you doing walking here? Why weren't we made aware of your arrival?" the cadet asked as he neared Quistis, who answered.

"It's a long story," she replied, the cadet seemingly not liking the dismissive answer.

"The THREATCON level is at high alert. We have orders to contact military police immediately, which we will do if you don't start talking," another cadet spat at them. The last thing the SeeD's needed or wanted was for them to contact the G-Army.

"We need to speak to Headmaster Martine, under the pretences of Garden Code 8:7," Quistis informed them. The cadet thought to himself for moment before remembering the details of the code. He wasn't sure how anyone could know of that code without actually being a member of one of the Gardens. He also took notice of the odd weapons, which SeeD's were known to work with, especially the gunblade. After a moment, the cadet named Ryne lowered his gun and then gestured for his team to do the same.

"Stand down," he told them and stepped forward and extended a greeting hand to Squall, "Sorry, we needed to make sure who you were," he told Squall, who slowly returned the gesture and shook his hand.

"What do you need to speak to the Martini about?" he asked, calling the Headmaster by his Garden-wide nickname.

"I am afraid we aren't at liberty to share the information with you, Cadet," Quistis informed him.

The cadet was a bit perturbed with her answer, but understood, especially if it was regarding confidential information. He looked at them for a moment, then snapped his fingers.

"You wouldn't happen to be the SeeD's from the TV thing, would ya?" he asked with a smirk on his face. Quistis, Zell and Selphie just looked at each other and Squall stared right at him, not saying a word. After not receiving a verbal reply, he assumed they were and snickered, "Its okay. I just wish that Seifer guy would've finished the job." He exclaimed, basically revealing that he too was opposed to the president of Galbadia.

Realizing it was safe to speak freely, Zell stepped forward.

"Excuse me, but what the hell are those things?" he asked, pointing at the robotic contraptions behind the Galbadian cadets.

"Aw those things…those are Tactical Armored Gears, but we just call em' TAG's," Ryne explained.

Tactical Armored Gears were a one-manned exoskeleton/mecha machines, which were widely used by the Galbadian military and Garden cadets. There were many different variations of TAG's, each having their own unique features and purposes. The main TAG's Galbadian cadets were trained with were called 'Wasp's', and were used mainly for security roving and clearing the nearby area of fiends. Wasp's were armed with a lot of nifty features including proximity detectors and electro-magnetic shields, not to mention a wide range of offensive weaponry such as rail guns, stinger missiles and flame throwers. Small turbine thrusters and a propeller like mechanism gave it the ability of flight. Galbadian cadets had to be of at least sixteen years of age before they could operate TAGs, but were required to do so before they could advance in cadet rank and ultimately graduate from Galbadia Garden.

"Anyway, I can get you guys and escort the rest of the way," Ryne offered to the SeeD's and Rinoa, who all looked pretty tired, "Unless, of course, you'd rather walk the rest of the way,"

"HELL NO!" Zell exclaimed.

The group was just relieved that they had finally reached their destination.

* * *

**Friday, May 5th 4268/**

**0841 hrs**

Commander Brak sat in his office on the third floor, just down the hall from the Headmasters. The Commander's office wasn't quite as large or luxurious as the Headmasters, but it did have a similar type of view, which overlooked the lush hills and mountainous region on eastern part of Balamb. His walls were adorned with accommodations, gifts and various other memorabilia from his time as a SeeD, and even is time in the Dollet Army. He had been acting Commander at Balamb Garden for the last six years, and was only the second SeeD Commander, taking over after the last one retired.

The door opened without a knock and two robed faculty members walked in and up to Brak's desk, while he was typing up a report on his computer.

"What is it that couldn't wait, Commander? Master NORG is very busy this morning," one faculty member stated. Brak didn't respond immediately and instead continued to type. Although he worked with them, he didn't much care for the Garden Faculty members and often liked to press their buttons just because he could. After nearly a minute had passed, he finally answered,

"I have some information I'm sure he'd like to have," Brad began, and looked up with a smirk, "Almasy…he's dead," he informed the faculty members, who looked at each other, seemingly shocked.

"How do you know this?" one of them asked.

"Captain Riann just informed me," he started, and then paused before informing them of something else, "Also requested that I do not notify the Garden faculty."

"What!" one of the faculty members leaned forward, obviously angered. Cid knew the Garden faculty was against Seifer, and he felt that letting them know Seifer was executed would give them too much gratification.

"Kramer is becoming more trouble than he is worth. Master NORG will not continue to stand for this insolence," the other Garden faculty member demanded. Brak slowly raised his badly scarred hand, trying to calm them both.

"All in due time," he stated, "Lets just sit back and see how the next few days unfold. No need to start any fires just yet." They didn't speak for a moment as they collect themselves, but ultimately agreed with Brak's assessment.

"Perhaps you are right," one began and nodded, "After all, when this is over, Cid may have a breakdown and leave on his own." The obviously felt that with all the added pressure and the personal issues Cid was dealing with, that he was on the virge of losing it.

Brak leaned back in his black chair and intertwined his fingers.

"One way or the other, Cid Kramer's days as Balamb Garden headmaster are almost over," he said staring ahead, and began cracking his knuckles one by one, "How he leaves is up to him."

* * *

**Friday, May 5th 4268/**

**0916 hrs**

Squall sat in the back of the armored jeep next to Quistis, looking out the window as they were transported the remaining three miles to Galbadia Garden. The rough terrain made for a bumpy ride, but it was better than walking, aside from hearing Zell yelp in delight every time the vehicle hit a large bump.

Galbadia Garden was built in the middle of nowhere, amongst the deserted, mountainous region near the Monterosa Plateau. The Garden was constructed six years after Balamb, by Cid's close friend, former Galbadian Navy pilot turned entrepreneur, Edwin Martine. However, President Deling would not allow for a rogue mercenary institution to be constructed in his country, so Martine was ultimately forced to enter a partnership with the G-Army, allowing them to adjust the curriculum any way they wanted and have a major voice in Garden's day to day operations. Since Deling forbid SeeD training, it ultimately ended up becoming an early training academy for young future Galbadian officers and Vipers. Occasionally, cadets who graduated were allowed to transfer to Balamb Garden to take the SeeD exam, but more often than not, Galbadia Garden graduates became G-Army soldiers.

As they neared Galbadia Garden, it became even more evident how massive it was. The architectural style was similar to that of Balamb Garden, but with multiple key differences. The structure itself was a dark shade of ruby red, and unlike Balamb's rounded, pyramid-like architecture, its form was like that of a large stadium, and was as big as one too. High above the front entrance was the main watchtower, which was constructed to resemble a red viper head, which extended out beyond the main structure, and had what looked like two glowing yellow eyes, giving it a chilling presence. Hundreds of black-tinted windows encircled the Garden's main structure, and there were several spire shaped pillars which extended from the main structure, similar to the few Balamb had.

Last but not least, there was the similar, heavenly like golden-railed halo which floated atop Galbadia Garden, much like it did in Balamb. However, unlike Balamb, there were two even larger halo's which encircled the lower levels of Galbadia Garden, and were nearly triple the size of the top halo. Like Balamb Garden, not many people knew for sure if the halo's were decorative or served another purpose, but there was no denying their magnificence.

As the jeep pulled closer to Galbadia Garden, a runway became visible and drove up onto it. The jeep drove through several, beacons of light, which scanned the vehicle, detecting what it was, how many passengers were inside, and any problems with the vehicle. As they neared the entrance, a digitized female voice spoke.

"_Galbadian Nomad, VIN number 62588H1,…Cadet Grade 9, Erique Donally…five passengers…low left rear tire pressure…you are cleared to enter…welcome home!" _the voice spoke, as the entrance sprawled open ahead of them.

"Whoa…that's awesome," Zell stated, always impressed with new technology.

The entrance led into the massive hangar bay, probably five times larger the Balamb Garden's. They had about twenty small airships for both transportation and combat, and several rows of jeeps and other military grade vehicles. Above them, several Wasp's hovered around, and there were a few on the ground level being worked on.

Finally, the Nomad came to a stop in the middle of a large open area of the hangar. Just as they came to a stop, a Wasp landed down right beside them. As they got out of the car, Ryne stepped off the Wasp and inspected it for a moment before one of the mechanics ran over.

"The right thruster keeps rattling. Might wanna check that out," Ryne stated and pointed at the thruster, before walking past the SeeD's and taking off his visors, "Follow me."

They continued through the hangar, passing several Galbadian cadets who gave them questionable looks. Most Galbadian cadets had clean haircuts and appeared more military-like in general They finally came to a stop before two cadets standing guard. Ryne saluted them and then slapped their hands.

"Hey Ryne! What's with the strays?" one of the cadets asked.

"They're from Balamb Garden. They came to talk to the Headmaster," Ryne responded. The cadet looked over the group and then shrugged.

"Okay. Keep an eye on them," he remarked with a wink and waved them through.

The door led them through the personal parking lot and then to another door, which led them into the central corridor of Galbadia Garden, which was much more expansive and wide open, especially compared to Balamb Garden, which had the central elevator tower in the center of everything.

The central hall at Galbadia was similar to Balamb in that it was decorated with a myriad of plants and had several benches to sit down. Also, similar to Balamb, the halls divided off and led to multiple different sectors within Galbadia Garden. The floors were nicely polished and had artistic design, not similar to Balamb. As they approached the middle of the central hall, they were greeted by a fairly young, attractive brunette wearing a grey civilian business dress.

"Hi Ryne," she greeted with a smile and then looked at the party, "Are these the guests?"

"Yeah Trysh," he nodded and then looked back to the SeeD's, "This is Trysh…the Headmaster's secretary." The group nodded in acknowledgement, and she continued.

"Regrettably, I can allow only one of you to speak privately with the Headmaster for the time being. The rest of you will have to wait in the reception room," she informed them. It was understandable, and it would probably just get confusing if more than one of them went.

Quistis stepped ahead of the group and in front of Squall,

"I'll go," Quistis stated, "I've been here a few times as the Balamb Garden liaison, and I know Headmaster Martine pretty well. Plus I am pretty familiar with the courtesy standards here. I'll explain our present situation, and report back to you when I'm done," she concluded. Squall had no problem with it, nodded, and gave her the SeeD salute, which she returned, then followed Trysh. Ryne waved the rest of the group towards him.

"Come on, I'll give you guys the five dollar tour and show you to the public room," he stated.

Classes were still in session, so they couldn't get a full hands-on tour. A lot of the classes were of confidential nature, and a lot of the instructors were former Galbadia soldiers themselves, so the classes and cadets at Galbadia were much more regimented than Balamb cadets and SeeD's. While training at Balamb was grueling, it wasn't run like a hardcore military outfit. There were strict guidelines and rules and they were highly trained in many forms of combat, but they weren't taught to be merciless killing machines, but instead, were taught to use their brains before brawn.

As they made a quick pace through Garden, they got acclimated to the area and learned some interesting facts about Garden and the G-Army. They were led past Close Quarter Combat training and Military Etiquette, seeing firsthand how more hardcore and strict they were there on a regular basis.

They were led past magic training, which was fairly new to Galbadia Garden. However, unlike Balamb, Guardian Forces were prohibited from use due the noted controversial side effects such as memory loss and in some cases, insanity. For that reason, they could not manipulate energy to use para-magic. Instead, the G-Army was now using Techna-Magic, which was made possible by scientists in Midgar, who found a way to harness energy into glass-like orbs called Materia, and use the energy to create magic like effects, similar to para-magic.

In the same way that Galbadia was much more militarized than Balamb, Galbadia Garden focused their training primarily around technology, guns and basically blowing their enimies away with force, while Balamb focused on magic training, melee weapons and how to outwit their opponent. Both had their advantages and drawbacks, but more often than not, SeeD's were much better trained individually while Galbadian cadets were trained better to be part of a larger unit.

Continuing on their way, they passed nearly fifty classrooms, the ice hockey rink and gym, and the training center, which was much bigger and had a wide variety of fiends to practice against.

Finally, they reached the reception room, which had a large open window and was very elegantly decorated, obviously used to welcome the more esteemed guests to Galbadia Garden. There were two elegant, white-leather couches with glass coffee table between them. A dining table with several chairs was right next to the window, and a large television and chess table were in the back for entertainment purposes.

After the SeeD's and Rinoa filed in, Ryne spoke.

"Just relax and I'll have the cafeteria send you up some food, " he stated, "I'm sure you are all hungry." The always hungry Zell confirmed that statement.

"Hell yeah!" he stated. Ryne then nodded and left the room.

Squall looked around the room. He was trained to be ever aware of his surroundings, even in settings that were supposedly trustworthy. At the moment howeverl, all he could really think about was what was going to happen next. _Would they be going home? Was Balamb Garden going to be held responsible for the attack on the president? Were they still officially under contract with Rinoa? If not, what were they do with Rinoa? Rinoa…_

He thought to himself as he looked to her, seeing her sitting on the couch with her head slumped between her knees. Squall knew the last few days had to do a number on her. She probably just expected SeeD to come in, liberate Timber, and the Forest Owls to go on their merry way. She couldn't be prepared for everything that had happened…_how could she?_ Despite the front she put up, it was quite obvious to Squall that she wasn't a soldier of any kind…just a typical teenage girl playing a game she had no business playing.

Despite all that, Squall respected her. Even though he thought she had acted spoiled, annoying and was a bit too outspoken in some cases, he knew there couldn't be too many girls her age who were willing to sacrifice weekends and the beach and shopping till they drop to go head to head with Vinzer Deling and the G-Army in an effort to liberate a small nation.

Still, he knew eventually, they would have to take her home…wherever that was for her. He suddenly realized that he didn't know much about her at all_. Where she was really from…where her parents were…what she was doing before all this_. All he knew of her was that she knew Seifer, was part of a resistance faction, and that for some reason, he couldn't get her out of his head.

* * *

**This and the next chapter was supposed to be one long one, but I felt like splitting it up.**

**As I said in my last chapter, reviews no longer fuel my ego, but if people aren't reading this, I really don't see the point in posting it. I will continue to write it, but if I don't see any real interest, I may just keep it to myself. This isn't an ultimatum or anything, but if you are reading and you do enjoy it, let me know so I don't go on thinking I am wasting my time putting this up.**

**Thanks….**

**

* * *

**

**Author Notes**

Obviously, a lot added to this chapter. I divided it into two chapters because this chapter got really descriptive.

I am getting antsy waiting for an action segment. Havent had one in awhile. Im trying to avoid as many random battles as possible because I don't see the point. Fortunately, the end of disc one and disc two are heavy on the action that needs to be in it.

The entire "Sorceress Assassination Plan" will be very different from the game. Still the same method and all, but I changed A LOT, so it wont be like reading what happened in the game.

And just so you know…I am not doing the "Tomb of the Unknown King" segment. I just think its kind of stupid and gets in the way of the storyline.

And Im sure everyone who read this chapter caught the Final Fantasy 7 references. There will be a ton of Final Fantasy references in this. Not because I cannot come up with my own names/ideas/places, but because I like to pay Homage to games/books/movies that I like in my writing.

All the best.

**_Prod_**


	23. Chapter XIX: Injustice

"_Only in death will we have our own names since only in death are we no longer part of the effort. In death, we become heroes.__" __**Chuck Palahniuk**_

**Chapter XIX**

_**Injustice**_

**Friday, May 5th 4268/Headmaster Martine's Office**

**1121 hrs**

The young blonde took several large gulps of cold water from the tall glass as she finally finished, trying to loosen the cottony-textured saliva that had formed in her mouth. She had been talking nonstop for nearly an hour, during which time she had gone into excruciatingly explicit detail regarding the events that had transpired during the previous few days. She had a habit of being overly-verbose, but she knew that the more information she gave them, they better suited they would be to help them.

"Wow, that's quite the story, Quistis," Headmaster Martine commented after she finally finished.

"Yes sir, it is," she replied with a sigh as she looked at him with tired eyes.

Martine was a few years older than Headmaster Kramer but actually looked a bit younger. He had near shoulder-length blonde hair with touches of gray and a receding hairline. He was wearing a modified version of an old Galbadian Republic Royal Navy coat uniform. It was slightly lighter shade of navy blue, with golden embroidery around the robe-like collar. It featured golden lapels, buttons and sleeves, as well as several of his old military service medals. He also wore a ruffled white dress shirt beneath the coat, as well as black slacks and tall boots which nearly ran up to his knees.

"Well, I can offer you safe haven here at Galbadia Garden for the time being," he replied, "I will contact Cid soon, and let him know you are all okay. I need to speak with him before we take any further action," he told her, and Quistis nodded.

"Is there any way I could speak to Headmaster Kramer directly?" she inquired. The Headmaster paused a moment, and just looked at her, seeming for a moment like he drifted into his thoughts. After a moment had passed and he cleared his throat, he answered.

"At the moment, Galbadian communication is in a state of flux, for reasons I'm sure you are aware of," he told her, referring to the instances in Timber and Dollet, "My tech team is trying to establish communication with your Garden as we speak. When we contact Cid, I will let you know. I apologize for the inconvenience," he responded.

"Its fine, sir. I was just wondering if they had anything new on Seifer," she stated to the Headmaster, as a perplexed countenance swept across his face.

"Almasy? You mean you don't know?" he asked, causing Quistis to narrow her brow.

"Know what?" she questioned, taking in the Headmaster's demeanor.

"I suppose you wouldn't," he began, and sighed, "Mr. Almasy was executed for his crimes against the president,"

_And there it was._ She had prepared herself for that very news, yet she wasn't ready for it.

"Wha…" she managed to gasp out, but was froze in a momentary state of disbelief. Noticing Quistis deadpan glare and inability to get the words out, he elaborated.

"There weren't many details released. They didn't make a big spectacle of it, surprisingly. With everything going on, they must've decided just to hold a quick trial and be done with it," he told her. Still, she didn't move. She didn't say a word. She didn't even blink. _Nothing. _Martine became a bit worried.

"Ms. Trepe…are you alright?" he questioned. She snapped to, but was still at a loss for words. She felt sick and felt tears welling in her eyes. Slowly, she stood from the chair.

"Could you…please…excuse me?" she stumbled over her words with obvious angst in her voice, and slowly made her way towards the door and left the office.

The Headmaster wanted to reach out to her, but didn't know what to say. He wasn't even sure why she was reacting in such a way. After all, Seifer was responsible for much of the trouble they were currently in.

Seconds later, the door opened again, and the Headmaster's secretary Trysh entered.

"Is everything alright, Headmaster?" she asked with concern after seeing Quistis leave the way she did. Martine sighed.

"She should be fine," he responded, "Prepare rooms for our guests. Give them carte-blanche access to anything they need, for the time being. But leave it off the books. We can't have anyone in the Galbadian military getting suspicious," he finished, although his voice hinted that he had other reasons as well.

"What if they find out we are harboring the SeeD's from Timber? Especially if they find out you are doing it under their noses," Trysh warned him, and he nodded, "No offense sir, but you are playing with fire."

"I intend to honor the terms of the Garden Alliance, at least for now," he informed her, "Besides, the G-Army has enough going on at the moment," he finished.

"Very well," Trysh answered compliantly, "Will there be anything else, sir?" The arrival of SeeD's presented a unique opportunity for the Headmaster. Still, he wasn't sure what his first course of action should be.

"Yes. Prepare one of the briefing rooms for a teleconference," he informed her, "There is someone I need to speak to."

He had told Quistis that communications were down, but Galbadia Garden had a special cable uplink with the other two Garden's that she wasn't aware of. He didn't like being dishonest with her, but he wanted to make sure he made the right move, or the opportunity could slip through his fingers.

* * *

**Friday, May 5th 4268/Galbadia Garden Reception Room**

**1203 hrs**

The room had been quiet…almost too quiet. Squall usually savored any moments of peace he could get, but prolonged silence usually led to overthinking. Selphie had dozed off on the couch next to Zell, who was cracking his enflamed knuckles out of anxiousness and boredom. Rinoa was sitting in the back near the chess table, twirling a polished, ivory bishop between her fingers. Squall could tell she still felt out of place, because in reality, she was. As for Squall, he was sitting at the dining table, still picking at the cold piece of chicken inside the white, styrafoam container that had been served to them courtesy of the cafeteria.

They were all waiting for Quistis to return with the Headmaster's decision and any news from Balamb Garden. Over two hours had lingered on without any type of news, which concerned Squall a bit. He was aware that there was a lot of information that needed to be divulged, but he was beginning to think something wasn't right if it was taking that long. Zell yawned and shook his head, before turning around on the couch to talk to Squall.

"Holy hell…how long do we have to wait?" he asked Squall, who only answered with a slight shrug. Almost on cue, the mechanical door slid open, and Quistis entered. She appeared pale and exhausted, which was understandable given the situation.

"Bout time!" Zell declared as he shot up, waking Selphie and drawing Rinoa's attention.

"How'd it go?" Squall asked as he stood and walked towards her.

Quisis had her arms crossed and her head bowed slightly. Her demeanor did not portray excitement or relief, but rather sorrow and grief. That along with her delayed reaction told them something was wrong. Zell's shoulders slouched and his breathing quickened. Rinoa and Selphie slowly walked up, also seeming concerned.

Quistis looked up, noticing everyone waiting for her answer, and forced a small smile on her face.

"They understood our current situation. They have no intention of turning us over to their military. So we're safe, at least for now," she said, trying to sound upbeat but not doing very well. Knowing that couldn't be all, Zell stepped towards Quistis.

"And…" Zell began with a shaky voice, "What about Garden?" he asked, his tone sounding like he didn't really want to know the answer. Quistis laid a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

"Balamb Garden is safe. The attack against Vinzer Deling has been classified as an independent action. There has been an official notice released, exonerating Balamb Garden of any unlawful activity or attack against the President," Quistis explained, as Zell backed up and let out a huge sigh of relief and smiled from ear to ear. Still, Quistis appeared to be distraught as she slowly began to walk to the side of the room.

For a moment, the group just watched her as she took small steps toward the large window, and stopped, looking out at the expansive barren view or the local landscape. She bowed her head, appearing as if she wanted to cry. Squall knew there was something she wasn't telling them, As Squall continued to observe her, Rinoa spoke up.

"So…" she began, her too seeming a bit scared to continue, " Seifer is taking all the blame?" she asked. Quistis raised her head, but didn't turn to the group or really acknowledge Rinoa any further.

"Quistis?" Rinoa asked again, watching Quistis head bow once more. As Quistis turned, the expression on her face foreshadowed the answer. As Rinoa made eye contact with Quistis, her knees weakened and she slowly lowered herself to the couch. Words would only confirm what she felt was coming.

"The trial is over, and…" Qustis began, but closed her eyes as she lost her breath for a moment and shuddered, "…and the sentence has been carried out."

For a moment, no one said anything, the current reality being suspended in disbelief. The news shouldn't have come as a shock, considering what Seifer had done. Vinzer Deling had made examples out of people for a lot less, and was not the forgiving or merciful type. Still, it probably wasn't even so much that the news was surprising as it was they just simply didn't want to believe it. Despite all of Seifer's antics and attitude, the news seemed to suck all the air out of the room.

"No…" Rinoa breathed out, unsuccessfully trying to fend off tears, "He…was just trying to help. HE DIDN'T DESERVE THIS!" she demanded as a trail of tears streamed from her eyes and down the sides of her face. Selphie sat next to her slowly and rubbed her back as Rinoa wept into her the palms of her hands. For a moment, Quistis' sadness had subsided as a wave of seeming frustration overcame her.

"If it was truly your group that got him involved, you had to be aware of the possible outcome. Participation in resistance factions is not a safe game, especially against the likes of a murderous sleazebag like Deling," Quistis laid out the truth as Rinoa listened and became even more depressed, "I'm sure Seifer was prepared too, so don't go thinking he sacrificed himself for your cause," she finished, obviously a bit goaded with Rinoa's thinking. Still, after saying it, Quistis appeared noticeably regretful for letting her emotions get the best of her.

"I'm sorry, I guess that wasn't much consolation," Quistis stated apologetically while Rinoa continued weeping. Squall knew Quistis was right though, Seifer was aware of the possible ramifications, or at least that's what he told Squall on the field exam.

Lost amongst the initial shock and Rinoa's reaction was how Zell appeared to be taking it. He was leaning against the side wall with both hands, and had his head down. Squall noticed that his face had turned red and that he was gritting his teeth. Suddenly, he punched the wall and pushed himself off of it, and began pacing back and forth, obviously upset.

"Zell, I thought you hated Seifer," Selphie questioned as she continued to console Rinoa.

"I did…I mean, maybe not hate," he said and then gasped, shaking his head in confusion, "Ever since I can remember, he gave me a hard time, but…he was still one of us, ya know? He was too damn young too die!" Zell burst out, appearing like he wanted to punch the wall again, but restrained himself mentally.

"If we can, I wanna get revenge," Zell stated to the group, but the fact was, there wasn't much they could do.

"I don't really have any particularly fond memories of him," Quistis spoke up and everyone looked to her, "He was always causing trouble, always showing off. I've seen troubled children but…" she stated, but then paused, trying to recall the good memories she had of him, even if they were rare, "He wasn't that bad of a guy. Yesterday, I got to see a different side of him'," Quistis stated as a smirk crept on her face.

Squall, Quistis and Zell had known Seifer since they were children. It was difficult for any of them to recall exactly when they first met, but they were all very young. Squall found it difficult to recall much of anything prior to becoming a teenager, and even then his memories were foggy at best. His memories, much like Zell and Quistis', did not portray Seifer in a positive light. For as long as Squall could remember, Seifer was always giving him a hard time, more so than anyone else really.

Still, Squall was furious, despite his seeming indifference compared to the rest of the group. Seifer needed to be taught a lesson, _but death? No, he most certainly did not deserve that._ Squall could only wander if Seifer's death was quick and painless, but knowing Vinzer Deling's history with torture and public execution, couldn't imagine Seifer getting off that easy.

In the midst of though, Squall heard as Rinoa voice speak out.

"I…" she began, stalling as she tried to control her emotions,"..I really liked him. He was always so full of confidence and smart…" she recollected, and smile began to gleam on her face. It was obvious she had fond memories of him the others did not. "I mean, just talking to him, I felt like I could take on the world. He was always cocky and arrogant, but…he always let me know he cared for me," she finished, happiness and sorrow battling in her voice.

After a moment, Selphie's eyes widened.

"Was Seifer…your boyfriend?" she asked, as everyone, including Squall looked at her, waiting for an answer. It would help explain a lot, considering her fondness for him and how he went out of his way to help her.

"I don't really know. I think…" Rinoa began, and then bit back a small laugh, but also appeared as if she wanted to burst into tears again. After a moment, she calmed herself and finished, "I think I was in love. I wonder how he felt about us…" she wandered.

"How did you meet him anyway?" Quistis inquired. Rinoa paused again, as a wave of memories rushed into her head, causing her to smile again.

"…It was last summer. I have a lot of fond memories about that time we shared," she informed them, "I was only sixteen, but he made me forget how young I was. He had so much vitality he helped me learn a lot about myself," she finished, and bowed her head once again.

"Wow…I guess there was a side of Seifer we never seen before," Qustis remarked.

Despite his past actions, it seemed that everyone was bothered by Seifer's fate. Squall was bothered not just by what had happened to Seifer, but with the way everyone was talking about him. _I 'liked' him? He 'wasn't' a bad guy? He 'was' one of us? _Seifer had become but a mere memory, being talked about in the past tense, as if he were nothing more than an event that had come and gone. Squall knew he would face death in his line of work, and while he never put too much thought into his own mortality, he was seeing firsthand how he would be discussed.

_Is this how they would talk about me if I died_? Squall wasn't particularly bothered by the thought of death itself, but the thought of being discussed in the past tense infuriated him.

Even if he did die, Squall didn't want to be a _'was'_.

"How can you all do this?" Squall asked, as everyone looked to him in confusion.

"Excuse me?" Quistis asked.

"Sitting around, dwelling over Seifer. I know it's a shock, but do you think he would want you to talk about him like this?" Squall asked of them. Zell and Selphie seemed to understand where Squall was coming from, and even Quistis to a point. Rinoa just appeared to get angry about the comment.

"You aren't the least bit disturbed by the fact that Seifer was executed?" Quistis asked a follow up question. Squall was disturbed, but he knew Seifer was prepared. They all were. More than that, it was the way he was being talked about which bothered him the most.

"Even if I was, I wouldn't stand here saying 'Seifer _was_ this' or 'Seifer _did_ that'. Talking about it isn't going to bring him back!" Squall demanded to all of them. Quistis lowered her eyes and the room fell silent, until Rinoa shot up and darted towards Squall.

"Why…why are you like this!" she asked, fueled by emotion, " A comrade dies, and you don't care? What made you so compassionless?"

Once again, Rinoa took issue with his seeming lack of care. Squall did care, but he wasn't one to wear his emotions on his sleeves, and didn't like dwelling on matters that couldn't be changed. Seifer was gone, and regardless of how much they talked about him and cried over it, that wasn't going to change.

Still, Squall understood her pain. The pain of losing someone she cared about. He didn't know why, seeing as how he had been a loner most of his life and never really let anyone get close enough to the point where he would grieve the loss. Still, he always felt a sense of abandonment. He somehow knew how it felt to lose people he cared for. He wasn't sure how, but the feeling was there. It was why he chose to push people away and to keep everyone at arm's length. It always seemed easier than letting someone in, only to eventually lose them. Squall felt as if being a SeeD carried enough burdens. In his line of work, living a long life was far from a sure thing. Constantly worrying about others and grieving over loss of life was not a burden he wanted to live with.

He just couldn't do it.

"Are you even listening!" Rinoa's voice called out to Squall after he drifted off for a few moments.

He really didn't have an answer. He knew she needed time to grieve, and that his comments probably weren't the best choice, but he wasn't about to retract his statement or apologize. He felt she needed to deal with this on her own and that he needed time to collect his thoughts away from each other.

Without a word, Squall turned, walked towards the door and left the room.

* * *

**Friday, May 5th 4268/Headmaster's Private Conference Room**

**1354 hrs**

Headmaster Martine was usually cool under pressure, but at the moment, he couldn't get his hands to stop shaking. He rubbed them together, as he felt a wave of internal heat burst from his pores, shooting out the top of his collar like steam from a tea kettle. He closed his eyes, trying to think of a tranquil thought to calm him, but it didn't come.

Still, the reason he was so uneasy at the moment wasn't because of the top secret mission he was helping to conduct; one that could cost him not only his job, but his life if he were caught. No, it was something different. He had always prided himself on being a noble man. He was not a saint by any means, but he had always been loyal and devoted to those who put their trust in him. At the moment, however, loyalty had to be suspended in favor of diplomacy and possibly even more.

He breathed heavily as he sat in his personal conference room, which was used for smaller, more intimate meetings and teleconferences, similar to the one he was in the middle of. He had been waiting nearly fifteen minutes for those he was meeting with to return with a decision He didn't like dealing with these particular people, but at the moment, he had no choice.

Three rather large, flat-panel monitors stood in front of the table he was sitting at. The screens were black at the moment, with only a digitized, slowly spinning Galbadian Garden symbols on the screen. For a moment, the spinning logo entranced him as his eyes circled around with the logo, following its rotation. Despite how juvenile it was, it allowed him to take his mind off of everything, if even for a moment.

Suddenly, the screen changed, and replacing the previous screen were the three individuals he had been waiting for. They had returned after a short recess to discuss what they had just talked about. After a moment of getting settled in, the man in the highly decorated SeeD uniform spoke.

"Headmaster Martine," SeeD Commander Jeseph Brak acknowledged with a small nod and leaned forward on the table he was sitting at, along with two robed Balamb Garden faculty members, "We have notified Master NORG of your request, and he has decided to allow you to use our SeeD's under the condition that they are used covertly. With everything that has happened, anything that could implicate Balamb Garden was involved in this would most certainly lead to retaliation of some type," he warned Martine.

"Trust me Commander," Martine answered quickly, "You don't have to preach to me about the importance of discretion."

"Then consider them at your disposal," Brak replied with another subtle nod. M

"So…where do we go from here?" Martine asked, still rubbing his hands together anxiously. Brak glanced off to one of the Garden faculty members for a moment as he pondered the question.

"Contact Headmaster Kramer," he told Martine as he looked into the camera, "Let him know his SeeD's are alright," he finished, the Garden faculty not appearing too pleased, and rightfully so. It was a very questionable move to let Cid know of the plans, considering what the matter entailed.

"What about the mission?" Martine inquired, "Cid will never go for it, for obvious reasons. What should I tell him?" Brak nodded in agreement after hearing Martine's concerns.

"You are right Headmaster, he will never approve of that. But he may be more keen to the idea if he thinks the target is Deling," Brak told him. Martine just paused, as Brak's word echoed through his mind. The entire operation was built on an unsteady foundation of lies and deceit. Of course, it was necessary to do so to ensure the mission was a success, but it still went against everything he stood for.

Noticing the Headmaster apprehension, Brak spoke, "You understand what I'm saying, right?" he asked. Martine appeared noticeable upset as he shook his head.

"I…I don't if I can…" he stated, hesitation and regret decorating his tone as the words left his mouth.

"Now is not the time to grow a conscience Headmaster," Brak demanded, almost yelling, causing the Headmaster to look back to the screen. Brak calmed himself and continued, "I understand you have a history with Headmaster Kramer and his wife, but we are trying to prevent another Sorceress War. One life to spare possible millions. You understand that, right?"

Brak had raised a good point. Despite all the deception that was involved, it was in the best interest of everyone and for welfare of the world. At least that's what Martine was trying to convince himself. Still, he had his concerns beyond that.

"Its not just that," Martine spoke, "I'm putting my ass on the line here. If they find out it was me…" he continued, but was interrupted by one of the Garden Faculty members.

"NORG and this Garden will offer you the protection you need," the robed faculty member assured him, "You play your part and we promise you, you will be well taken care of." Despite still having his doubts, Martine knew there was no turning back. He was in an impossible situation, but had to keep his mind focused on the ultimate goal.

"I have some business to attend to," Martine stated, seeming a bit upset and overwhelmed, "I'll be in touch," he finished and then clicked on the small remote, turning off the camera.

He leaned into his hands, brushing them up over his face and through his hair, and then finally folded his hands together, leaning his chin against them. He had to contact his friend, Cid Kramer, and lie to him. A lie that covered up a truth that would ultimately break the will of the man he had called his friend for so many years. A lie that would lead to the demise of a woman he once had deep feelings for, and one that was more caring and loving than any he had ever met.

But times had changed, circumstances had changed, and he knew he had no choice but to once again go against his better judgment and principles.

* * *

**Friday, May 5th 4268/Headmaster Kramer's Office – Balamb Garden**

**1706 hrs**

Music has a distinct way of triggering emotion and memories. It's as if the notes to a familiar song dive head first into the deepest depths of the mind and scour for traces of its own existence and pull it to the front, but along with it pull the memories attached. Sometimes these memories are joyous, like the recollection of summer days as a child or a first date. Sometimes, they can trigger painful thoughts, like lost love or death of a friend.

In Cid Kramer's case, it was a bit of both. He had the music file on his computer, and would often play it when he missed her. He had been doing it occasionally over the past fifteen years. He often went months without seeing her; running Garden as she remained secluded, thought to be out of the minds and reach of anyone who might go looking for her.

The song was always special to him…_to them_. It had the power to make him laugh, and make him cry, and at the moment, was torn between both. The song played softly through the built in speakers on his computer monitor, each note and lyric evoking a different emotion within his soul. It often made him wonder how he had every gotten so lucky to find such a beautiful caring woman. It made him wonder about the choices they made in the past and what their future together would be like.

Now, he just wondered if he would ever see her again.

He held the platinum picture frame in his hand, and closed his eyes. It was a picture of both of them, on their wedding day, together. A single, beautiful memory, captured in time, both in the picture and in his heart. He brushed his thumb over the glass which encased the picture, rubbing it where her face was. If he imagined hard enough, he could almost feel her cheek in his hand again as he caressed it lovingly, remembering the beautiful day when they became one. Opening his eyes, he returned to reality, realizing all he was doing was smudging the fingerprints on the glass.

Just then, his phone beeped, completely pulling him back to the sad reality he was facing. He stopped the audio file playing their song, and took a deep breath. The phone beeped again. Looking down, he noticed the small green light flashing, signifying that it was Xu on the other end. He picked up and tapped the button.

"Sir," Xu spoke as the line opened, "I have Headmaster Martine from Galbadia Garden on the line. He says its urgent," she informed the Headmaster.

Cid was happy to hear the name. Edwin Martine was one of Cid's few true good friends left in the world, and at the time, felt like he could use that. He had known Edwin since they were in their early twenties, and they became instant lifelong friends.

Still, he hadn't spoken to Edwin in nearly a month, right after Cid's wife was abducted. He called to offer his condolences and support, but at the time, Cid was confident she would be found and returned safely. Now, the confidence was gone, and all that was left was grief and resentment.

"Put him through," Cid told Xu, and then heard the line change over, "Edwin?" he spoke, signaling his presence on the line.

"Cid, always nice to hear your voice." Martine politely remarked, "How have you been?" he asked, even though the answer had to be fairly obvious to him.

"I'm sure you know our situation," Cid stated in a dismayed tone.

"Yes, and I am truly sorry about Edea" Martine expressed his condolences. "Anyway, I am calling you first hand to inform you that we have five young individuals who claim to be your SeeD's in custody," he notified Cid, who narrowed his brow. If he had been thinking clearly, he may have been able to figure it out, but he had too much on his mind.

"In custody? Who?" he asked, waiting for the names.

"They just arrived this morning and I don't have all their names yet, but I spoke to Ms. Trepe," he told Cid, whose eyes widened upon hearing the news. Not just the fact that Quistis was okay, but he knew who was with her.

"Oh my," he began as a wave of relief washed over him. The good news was more than welcomed at the time, "Thank Hyne they are okay! Can I speak with Quistis?" he questioned. For a moment, there was a pause, Cid not sure if there was a break in the line or if Martine simply had not heard him. Just as he was about to ask again, Martine spoke.

"They are all resting at the moment. Understandably, they were quite worn out when they arrived," Martine informed him, "I did an informal outbrief with Ms. Trepe, which I will send to you shortly. I'm sure you will want to do your own official outbrief when they return, but this should at least shed some light on where they have been."

Cid knew where they had been, at least where they started. He immediately began to fret, concerned about how much and what particular information they may have given to Martine. Garden Code 8:8 stated that if Code 8:7 is enacted, the visiting party must completely disclose all details regarding why they were there and what events led them there. In most cases, it was for the best, but given the situation, wasn't sure what Martine had planned to do. Despite the fact that they were friends, their responsibilities to their respective Garden's came first.

"Martine, I…" Cid began, really not sure what to say. Hearing the anxiousness in his voice, Martine put his fears to rest.

"Its alright Cid. I have no intentions of turning them over the G-Army," he stated, much to the relief of Cid.

"Thank you so much, Edwin. We haven't been able to contact them since they left here due to the signal interference. We will need to speak with them as soon as poss…" Cid was explaining the situation to Martine, but was cut off before he could go any further.

"Cid," Martine halted him mid-sentence, "I was thinking maybe you could keep this between you and I…at least for now," he submitted the untimely request. Much like Cid, Martine was pretty by the book, and it was unusual. Cid thought it might have something to do with ensuring the SeeD's safety while they were at Galbadia Garden, but he wasn't sure.

"Why is that, Edwin?" he questioned.

"A situation has come up, and we could really use SeeD assistance on an upcoming mission, and it would be better if this were left….how you say….'off the books'" he expressed to Cid, sounding a bit devious, which again was unlike Martine. As much as he wanted to help Edwin, this was a very unusual and impromptu request. Keeping it off the books meant lying to the Garden faculty and NORG, and given the already wide rift between them, would only cause more problems.

"I don't know about that. I have enough problems with the Garden faculty as it is," he explained his thoughts, "If you were to submit and official request, maybe…" he continued, but again was stopped by Martine before he could finish.

"The target of this assignment is of interest to both of us," Martine spoke, and Cid narrowed his brow, "Vinzer Deling," he mentioned the name as he finished.

Cid just stared ahead, for a moment, repeating the name in his head over and over. He was responsible…responsible for most, if not all of the misery he had been dealing with over the past few weeks. He clenched his fist as blood rushed to his face and began boiling, his eyes tearing up, not with sadness but with an untamed, desperate rage. It flowed through him like lava, burning everything that stood in its path, including any morals and sense of right and wrong he had formed in his fifty-two years.

"Cid…" Martine asked, after a half minute of silence. He knew that Cid must be contemplating something if he was taking so long to answer.

"I'm listening," Cid answered, with darkness coloring his otherwise emotionless voice.

As Martine explained the plan to him, he was only half listening, but the important words were registering. _Deling…assassination…covert….sniper…_was all he really wanted or cared to know. The Garden faculty would never approve of a mission like that, given the consequences of possible failure. But at the moment, it was all Cid had. His desperation and love for his wife outweighed anything that suggested this was not a good idea, even if there were multiple reasons.

He saw this as possibly his one and only chance to take back that which was stolen from him, and he wasn't going to pass on that opportunity, even if the consequences were unfathomable.

* * *

**Friday, May 5th 4268/Galbadia Garden**

**1942 hrs**

_Jab…jab…hook…spinning elbow_…with each strike Squall laid upon the poor punching dummy in Galbadian Garden's impressive fitness center, his frustrations flowed out of him, slowly but surely. He had always relied on working out and training to take his mind off of his frustrations and stress. A lot of those times in the past, the stress was brought on by Seifer, who day in, day out made Squall aware of his existence and self-appointed superiority. Once again, Squall had been rigorously working out with Seifer on his mind, but this time, it was for a different reason.

Hours earlier, Rinoa had unleashed on him, again, letting him know what an unfriendly, callous prick he was. Not that he cared, or at least not that he would admit he did, but she hit a sore spot, Squall couldn't really imagine life without Seifer, which was ironic, seeing as how it's exactly what he thought he wanted for years. But even if it is what he wanted, that's not how he wanted it. Seifer had a lot of things coming, like a beatdown from one of the countless peers he hassled to expulsion from Garden.

Death, however, was not one of them. As much hassle as Seifer dealt out on a regular basis, he didn't deserve to die at such a young age. He wasn't a bad guy…misguided, egocentric, brash…absolutely, but not bad. Every once in awhile, Seifer would do something that proved he wasn't the selfish, vindictive narcissist he often led people to believe he was, but his glimmers of goodness were always eclipsed by his mountain of pride and immaturity.

The sweat had consumed every inch of Squall's body as it dripped from his nose, chin, hair and elbows, yet he still continued beating on the dummy. Four hours after stretching, he was still working out as intensely as he was in the first twenty minutes. He had started with a jog, which turned into a run, which turned into a sprint, and covered a good five miles on the indoor track. Next, he moved on to the training center, and hacked down several fiends, enjoying the challenge of something other the Grats and Bite Bugs. Finally, he ended up in the gym, where he worked out his chest and abs, and decided to finish up sparring with a defenseless punching dummy.

A crowd of Galbadians cadets had formed around Squall watching him go at it. The male students were in awe of his intensity and impressed with the way he handled himself. The females, much like those at Balamb, were overcome with desire, watching as his sweat covered muscles pumped with blood and fire as he worked out.

Despite the audience, Squall saw only one face, and that was Seifer's. Any tears or sadness he had about the young man, he probably sweated out over the past four hours, yet he still couldn't stop thinking about him. From how he was killed, to how others might react and even wondered if there was anything he could've done, Seifer dominated his thoughts, even in death.

_Death…Seifer was dead._

Despite knowing that fact, it was as if the fact just suddenly consumed him. In a blind rage, he began punching the dummy, not bothering with such things as form and technique. This was more than just training or trying to melt away stress, this was about anger. Anger at Seifer for being so brash; anger with Deling and the Sorceress for taking him so soon, and even anger at himself. He threw right hook after right hook at the hard-rubber head of the dummy, biting his lip and unleashing devastation. He didn't feel anything, see anyone, or hear any noises, all his senses being blinded by rage, until finally, a voice entered his mind and a face flashed before him.

_Rinoa._

He finally stopped, leaned into the dummy, resting the top of his head on the chest of it. Once again, inexplicably, the thought of Rinoa calmed him. Usually, he would've probably became even angrier at that very fact, but at the moment, he didn't question it. The thought of her had somehow put out the fire that erupted in his veins, which he needed, even if he wasn't sure why.

Suddenly, his other senses rushed back to him. His right wrist felt sore and weakened and he felt something dripping from his knuckles. Examining his hand, he notices that the thin padding of the sparring gloves he was wearing had fell off, and the skin on his knuckles was mangled and ripped as blood dripped from them. It didn't feel like any bones were broken, but they were sore.

Looking up at the face of the dummy, it was covered in Squall's blood, with head of the dummy being slightly crooked after the savage blows Squall gave it. He glanced off to the side, seeing about twenty cadets and a fitness instructor just staring at him, shocked and a bit scared by what they just saw. Open mouths and wide eyes were everywhere, and the only sound was coming from the music that was playing in the gym.

Squall grabbed his towel and wiped the blood off the dummy quickly, and then wrapped the towel around his hand, before looking back at the crowd, who was still watching him, waiting for him to possibly address what just happened, but as usual, Squall just ignored the crowd and made his way out of the fitness center and to his room.

Upon arriving, he walked in and through the living area of the lavish guest rooms of Galbadia Garden and into the bathroom. He proceeded to clean and bandage his hand and wrist and then got a shower. After finishing he returned to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, grabbing a banana, and then returned to the living area.

There was a flat screen television mounted into the wall, and figured he'd pass some time watching the news, thinking maybe he could hear some news regarding Seifer. He looked for the remote but couldn't find one, and then looked for a button to turn it on, but couldn't find that either. After a moment, he just shrugged.

"How the hell do you turn on the television?" he muttered to himself, and on cue, it turned on. The system was apparently voice activated, which was alot fancier than what Balamb Garden offered. He changed the channel simply by stating the channel, and watched the world news. For about an hour, all they really talked about was the Sorceress and President Deling, and an emergency convening of the World Council which was set to take place the next day around 3PM in Deling City.

After a few minor news stories from around Galbadia, and just as Squall began drifting asleep, something caught his attention as the reporter spoke.

"_Breaking news out of Timber tonight," _ the news anchor on the screen spoke, causing Squall's eyes to reopen slightly, _"Galabdian Vipers and secret agents under presidential order have invaded the city, dubbed by the Galbadian government as the "Most Plagued city in Galbadia" and has been known for nearly two decades as a breeding ground for government resistance factions and most recently, was the sight of a live broadcast from President Deling regarding his pact with the still unknown sorceress, where he was attacked by Balamb Garden outcast cadet, Seifer Almasy, who was reportedly killed or executed, shortly after," _the anchor reported.

Squall stood up and walked towards the screen after hearing the confirmation, not sure what he was expecting to hear. Before his thoughts could drift back to Seifer again, his attention again refocused back on the screen.

"_Unconfirmed reports are saying that the invasion has been hostile and twenty-four deaths have been confirmed. They have also arrested several known and suspected members of resistance factions, including a woman they suspect may be the mastermind behind many of the current resistance factions in Timber. We will deliver more news on this situation as it breaks."_

"Chief?" Squall questioned to himself, and wondered if Rinoa knew. If she did, she would be devastated to hear the news, and probably manically worried about Zone, Watts and the other members of the Forest Owls. He also wandered what would've happened had they not gotten out when they did. Or maybe if they would've been better off staying behind to help, knowing that innocent people were probably suffering in their place.

In the midst of his anger towards another one of Deling's 'iron fist' moments, Squall could hear what sounded like a familiar faint buzzing, not in his ears but in his head. It became louder as Squall shook his head, trying to remember where he had heard it before. Suddenly, he could hear voices and explosions and the world before him began to spin as his vision faded in between clear and blurred. After stumbling backwards onto the white couch, and grabbing his head, he remembered where he had felt this before.

"No…" he muttered to himself, shaking his head but having no luck in relieving the sensation he had only felt once before in his life, on the train en route to Timber, "Not this…again," he faintly muttered to himself, falling off the couch and onto his knees, still clutching the sides of his head with both hands.

After a few moments, he was too dizzy and weakened to fight it anymore, and his body fell limp, causing him to fall face forward onto the carpeted floor. If history served as any guide, he was about to have another weird dream.

* * *

Sorry about the delay, had some things going on.

Decided to do the Laguna thing a bit differently. The next chapter will only loosely follow the game, but then again, don't they all? *wink*

After the Laguna chapter, there will be only three more before the end of disc one. Maybe four if I decide to shorten it up. Depend on how long the chapter gets. I like to keep the chapters under 10,000 words, so I may have to divide them up.

The next few chapters will focus mainly on the main group, not as many looks at others. There are a few, including one very cool one in the next chapter (next REAL chapter), but for the most part, it's the main group.

Review responses

**hmnbyr7** – Glad you enjoy it. Fight scenes aren't that hard, just keep working at it. And sorry about some small errors. That's why I could use a beta reader. Hard to catch everything myself.

**Phantom 1** – You can go ahead and use that idea. Not stealing at all. Some guy copied my story word for word and was claimed it as his own word for word. THAT'S stealing.

**Sulou **– Thanks. I wanted to keep the feel of the first game, but add a ton to it to make it new and fill in some holes. Hope I am doing that.

**Mandamina **– Great review. Love the helpful feedback. I will address some of your issues in past chapters soon, including ones that Ive caught. Too address them here…

-Selphie left with Squad B after the other squads evacuated.

-I honestly didn't even think about the Ifrit thing. Hard to keep track of those little details sometimes. I will address it, JUST FOR YOU, next chapter.

-Ill change Brad to Brak soon.

-Locations…no prob, but most of the locations are obvious in the text, but no problem really.

**Dragoon Swordsman** – That obvious Brak is evil, huh? Eh, we will see. Haha. And sorry, I am doing another Laguna piece, although different from the game. Check it out.

No real chapter notes I can think of right now. I wanted to make Seifer's 'death' more emotional than it was in the game. Hopefully I did.

Obviously, Im trying to make Squall less emo than he is in the game, Again, hope its working.

Anyway, the Laguna chapter should be out shortly...next few days Id say. Hope to get the next real chapter up by next weekend.

Enjoy.


	24. Dreamworld: Discovery

**July 2012**: _I know people dont like the Laguna parts of the story, but this part is not in the game. It takes place after they escape the caves, and shows the events immediately following. You dont absolutely have to read this, but it sets things up going forward and gives some more answers than you get in the game, so while its not required, it is a suggested read with both good action and emotion._

* * *

_**Dreamworld: Discovery**_

_Salty ocean air was the first thing he smelt as his senses slowly began to come back to him. He had heard the random pandemonium of screams and explosions, and saw faded images of indistinguishable objects and people, but nothing he could really piece together as these events were fast forwarded through his mind. The feeling in his body began to return to him, but was still accompanied by a peculiar tingling numbness. It was all starting off like his previous experience, but he was still baffled as to what it was and why he was having these episodes._

_His ears suddenly opened, and he could hear what sounded like rushing tides of sea water along with the hum of a fairly large ship engine. On the back of his neck, he could feel what felt like tiny rain drops, gently touching down on his skin every few moments. His feet felt as if they were on solid ground, but could also feel movement beneath and even around him. He also began to feel pains in his right leg and left shoulder, but the pains that were in his wrist and hand from before were inexplicably gone._

_Suddenly, spots of light began to illuminate the darkness. The light grew stronger as the blackness lingered away, but was only initially replaced by blurred vision. Eventually, things began to clear up, and his initial senses did not lead him astray. His eyes were focused on ocean water below, swishing and being pushed out of the way of the large craft. In the distance, he could see a flock of birds, flying in formation in a graceful manner. Small traces of land could be seen miles away, but it was unclear exactly where it was. He could feel his body leaning over the rail as the metal bars dug into his forearms. Like last time, he couldn't move, and had no control over anything. Past attempts proved pointless, so instead of trying to fight it, he decided to let it happen, and hope this time, he could walk away with more answers than questions._

"_L..te..nt…L..r," _he heard, but the sound was fairly muffled. In the background, he could hear what sounded like men conversing as they worked with power machinery, but was slightly drowned out by various other noises, including the engine and the water below.

"Lieuten…oire,", the voice spoke again, still not quite clear. He would've turned to look, but had no control at the moment.

"LIEUTENANT!" the voice blared out, this time loud and clear. Squall felt as his body and head lifted and glanced to the right, seeing a middle aged man dressed in what appeared to be dark blue scrubs, standing off to the side underneath a nearby doorway.

"Huh?" he could hear his own voice questioned allowed, as his eyes squinted in confusion, "What, sorry…"

"We are finished with Sergeant Zabac. You can see him if you'd like," the man in the scrubs stated to him, and he could feel himself nodding slowly as the other man retreated back inside.

He pushed himself off the rail and took a deep breath. Despite not knowing what was going on, could feel a sense of concern building inside of him. As he turned around, he got a good look at the ship he was aboard. He was standing near the bow end, right above the base level. In the distance, towards the aft end, he could see a large helipad with two sleek, black helicopters. Below him around the ship, he could see several smaller water crafts such as speedboats and Combat Raiding Rubber Crafts (CRRC's) which were fifteen foot, heavily reinforced rafts. There was also scuba and deep sea diving equipment, along with a myriad of other naval devices and tools he was not completely familiar with. It was clear this vessel was some type of Rescue and Recovery ship, although the ship looked fairly old and outdated.

He began moving, not of his own will, but of the man he had come to know as Laguna Loire. He walked into the narrow passageway which led inside the central operational structure of the ship. Pipes and valves ran along the bulkheads, as well as various wires and cables, which supported many of the electronic features of the ship. He continued down a few narrow corridors until finally reaching the ships sickbay, which consisted of two rather small areas, including the recovery ward and surgery. It was not designed to really handled extreme emergencies, but rather to care for injured soldiers and sailors until they could reach a better medical facility.

Inside the recovery ward were a few people. One was the on-call medic that tended to all the patients needs. There were three patients, all of which were unconscious at the moment. Towards the back of the room stood a familiar dark skinned man, standing near one of the patients. Walking up, the dark skin manned had his arm in a sling and a bandage over his right eye.

"Hey," the man stated as Laguna walked closer.

"Hey Kiros," he answered, confirming to Squall it was the same man from the previous dream, "How is he?"

"He should pull through,but he lost a lot of blood," Kiros answered, looking down at the large man in the bed, "Shattered his larynx and damaged both his laryngeal nerves. Doctor says he might not be able to talk again," he finished.

Laguna walked closer and looked down at Ward, his friend and fellow soldier, who he had been through a lot with. An IV was running into Ward's arm, feeding him, and there was a heart monitor attached as well, which was reading a steady heartbeat with normal rhythm at the moment. Still, despite appearing to only be resting, Squall could feel the sadness and anger welling up inside of Laguna.

Laguna turned and walked towards the side of the room near the metal sink that was bolted into the wall. He leaned on it and looked in the mirror. Squall saw the familiar man in the reflection, oddly seeing traces of himself in the mans face, which was covered in small cuts and bruises. His hair was a bit longer this time, but still rather short, and it seemed like a couple years had aged on his face. Right now, his eyes were flooded with guilt and anger, seemingly at himself. He bowed his head after a moment, not wanting to look at himself anymore.

"Laguna," Kiros stated from behind and resting a hand on Laguna's shoulder, "It wasn't your fault. In fact you saved his life," Kiros told Laguna in an effort to console him. For a moment, Laguna didn't answer, the only sound coming from the beeping of the heart monitors and humming of the engines in the distance.

"What about Frye? Edwards? LaDonalla? Conway?" Laguna stated as he pushed himself off the sink and looked back to Kiros, who was standing there looking a bit confused, "They are dead because I put them in harms way and couldn't lead them out of it," he insisted, and then placed his hands on his hips as he looked to the ground, feeling sorry for the fallen comrades, and even for himself.

"You can't save everyone Laguna!" Kiros demanded to him, a bit agitated that his friend was trying to shoulder all the blame, "Fact is, we were sent into an unknowingly hostile environment against Esthar soliders with technology we've never seen before. This isn't on you."

"Seagill is right," a voice said from the doorway. Turning, they noticed that it was Staff Sergeant Thomas Hauk, who was the only surviving member of his party. He was standing there with a cold brew in his hand and a black muscle shirt, "Reconnaissance mission my ass! _'Just snap some pictures and collect a few samples'_ just conveniently leave out the part about the hundred or so Esthar soldiers on site," he voiced with frustration, mocking his superiors plan. Kiros nodded in a agreement as Hauk made his way over towards Ward's bed.

"Well, at least we got what we came for. Just a shame so much blood had to be shed because of it," Kiros stated, but Laguna didn't take much solace in that fact. Kiros thought it might be better to change the subject.

"So Laguna, heard anything from Julia?" he asked. For a moment, Laguna's eyes widened with fond thoughts at the mention of the girls name, but his head quickly dipped and he simply shrugged.

"Who's Julia?" Hauk asked.

"Nobody," Laguna answered quickly, trying to kill the subject before it could go any further. Hauk looked to Kiros, hoping he could shed some light. Kiros looked at Laguna for a moment, contemplating whether to tell Hauk. He figured if he stirred up some conversation, it might cheer Laguna up.

"Lieutenant Loire here has a lady friend waiting for him back home," Kiros told Hauk, causing Laguna to look at Kiros, less than amused, "One Ms. Julia Heartilly," he finished, Laguna merely shaking his head in somewhat playful annoyance.

"Julia Heartilly, the singer?" Hauk asked, with confusion and a bit of disbelief in his voice. Laguna still did no answer. Kiros simply nodded to confirm his question. "Shut up…"

"No lie. Laguna met her a few years back when she was just a pianist. Even got to spend some alone time with her," Kiros informed Hauk, who nearly spit out the beer in his mouth.

"Damn Loire, you tapped that?" he asked, which sparked a reaction from Laguna, who stared heatedly at Hauk and began slowly walking towards him until Kiros intervened.

"Whoa, easy buddy," Kiros stated, holding a hand up to calm Laguna. Hauk raised his hands.

"Jeez…sorry man," Hauk apologized. Most soldiers who bragged about being alone with a lady were only bragging about one thing, so it was an honest mistake and Laguna knew it.

"It doesn't matter. It was one night about three years ago. All we did was talk. You can call me a pansy or whatever, but it was the greatest few hours I can remember having," Laguna informed him. His memory wasn't always that great, but he could recollect every minute detail from his time with Julia that night.

"Naw, that's cool," Hauk stated with a smile, "You mean you haven't seen her since?" Laguna shook and bowed his head, and took a deep sigh before replying.

"After the incident in Timber, General Davies flipped a lid and transferred me, Kiros and Ward the secret nuke facility in Trabia. We were allowed to receive letters and gifts, but we weren't allowed having outside contact with anyone and couldn't take leave," Laguna stated as he leaned back against the way and crossed his arms, "Anyway, it's all for the best. She is better off moving on without me,"

"Amazing," Kiros replied humorously, "This guy is cockier than hell when it comes to anything else, but when it comes to Julia, he still has no confidence," he told Hauk, who chuckled. Kiros walked up to Laguna, a bit more serious, "She wrote you like a hundred letters over the last three years and has been dying to see you. Pretty obvious she hasn't moved that far," he stated, and Laguna shrugged.

"I got a new letter a few weeks ago. She wanted to see me and talk to me about a new song she is writing for her next album, but that's it. Not anything serious," Laguna stated. He brushed it off as if it wasnt a big deal, but it was obvious it meant alot to him.

"She wants your advice on music?" Kiros stated with wide eyes, trying to bite back a laugh, "No offense buddy, but you are about as tone deaf as they come. Pretty obvious she wants to see you for other reasons," he finished.

"Hey, I know good music when I hear it," Laguna stated, half joking and half serious. As Laguna was about to continue, a young solider entered the room, somewhat frantically.

"Lieutenant Loire," the young man stated, a bit out of breath. "Youre gonna want to see this!"

"What is it?" Laguna asked, pushing himself off the wall.

"We just ran diagnostics on the samples you collected," the young man explained.

"And?" Laguna asked. The young man paused a moment before answering.

"Quite frankly sir, this isn't an element known to man," he stated, obviously knowing how odd it sounded, and confused everyone in the room.

"What are you talking about? It's some kind of crystal," Laguna explained and walked closer to the young man, who was reading off of a printed report.

"It appears that way sir, and maybe it is, but none of us recognize it and none of oscilloscope scans turned up any results. The sine waves and quartz frequencies are nothing like any crystal form this world has ever seen," he told Laguna, who had no clue what the hell any of that meant, but trusted the research teams findings.

"How is that possible? There was literally a mountain of this stuff at that Centra excavation site," Kiros asked, amidst the confusion.

"Maybe it is some ancient Centran artifact of Hyne or something," Hauk added, taking a swig of beer.

"Or it could have something to do with what destroyed Centra," the young man stated, which threw everyone in the room back a bit. No one had even considered that possibility, as it was pretty farfetched.

"Wasn't that just some giant meteor?" Laguna asked.

"For about fifty years after the impact event, the ruins of Centra were completely uninhabitable or navigable due to the various volcanic and radioactive gases in and around its atmosphere. Up until now, its been a scientific mystery. Hundreds and even thousands scientists, biologists and archeologists have tirelessly examined the area and came up empty handed," the young man explained to them. Most of that was common knowledge, so it didnt explain a whole lot.

"Esthar doesn't seem to be having a problem," Kiros stated, and the young solider nodded and began to explained.

"Well, Esthar's technology is well beyond the rest of the world's and they won't share it with anyone. Galbadian intelligence has reported that they have been there for two years, but were never aware they found anything," he informed the group, "They just had some of their scientists and soldiers scouring the area, setting up camp and running tests, just like we do." the young man finished. For a moment, there was a pause, as everyone was a bit baffled. Laguna was rarely ever one to use crafty deduction skills to come up with complex answers, but at times, he had flashes of brilliance. He raised his head as a small revelation hit him.

"Decoys," Laguna stated, which made sense to everyone.

"Seems so," the young soldier stated with a nod.

"So, that means that Esthar is the only ones who knows what this stuff is?" Kiros asked.

"Maybe, they may not even be aware," the young solder answered. Laguna shook his head and began walking towards the infirmary bed that Ward was lying in.

"I don't believe that," Laguna stated, somewhat angrily, "They wouldn't be protecting something like that if it didn't have any kind of known value." he finished, and Kiros nodded in agreement.

"Laguna's right. Especially considering Esthar isn't known for being that hostile or aggressive," Kiros stated, "I'm willing to bet they do know." Just as Kiros finished giving his take, a middle aged man in an officers uniform poked his head inside the room.

"Loire…" he stated, causing everyone to take notice, "Fury wants to see you…now!" the man informed Laguna and quickly left. Laguna closed his eyes and lowered his head, seemingly knowing what was coming.

"Great," he muttered under his breath.

"You knew what you were getting yourself into when you transferred to his company," Hauk stated, and Laguna raised his head and nodded, looking a bit exhausted.

"Yeah, but ever since he put on Major General, he has been even worse," he informed Hauk, who gave a faint laugh, knowing the history between Laguna and the Major General.

"Good luck with that," Hauk stated, and then finished the contents of the bottle he had been nursing, just before he exited the room with a belch. Laguna looked up as Hauk walked out, and glanced at Kiros, who just shrugged. There was nothing that Kiros could do at that point so words were unnecessary. Instead, he just walked back to Ward's bed, and left Laguna to his business.

Laguna exited the medical ward, and made his way through the narrow corridors of the ship and then up several sets of stairs en route to the commanders office up near the observation deck. Laguna stepped took deep breaths with each step he took. He was never the type to get angry easily, but the man he was going to see always pushed him towards the edge. He had known the man for quite a long time, but their relationship got worse over time, and after putting on Major General, went out of his way to make Laguna's life miserable.

Fortunately, Laguna didnt have to work with him much.

Fortune, however, did not favor Laguna that day. He finally reached the top of the stairs, paused a moment, and took one last breath in an attempt to prapare himself for the onslaught he had coming at him. The last image that ran through his head before he entered the office was Julia.

_For some reason, her face always calmed him, and he needed it at that point. _

Walking in, the office was fairly large and there was a huge observation window towards the back of the office, which gave a grand view of the sea and landscapes ahead. He walked in front of the Major General's desk, and saluted. He was looking over documents and didn't even acknowledge Laguna at first. He just leafed through a packet of stapled papers without so much as a word.

"General, you wanted to see me," Laguna stated after three minutes of total silence, aside from the common clangs and noises heard on a naval frigate.

The man looked up, and glared at him momentarily. Laguna could see what was coming, although he didn't need the mans face to foreshadow it.

"Sit down, Loire," he demanded with brash directness, before tossing the packet back in his inbox, and leaning forward as his eyes once again met Laguna's. "Thanks to you and your incompetence, I've had General Davies crawling up my fucking ass, asking me just what the fuck happened," he bitterly shot at Laguna.

"Sir?" Laguna questioned. He was prepared to be abused, but really didn't know where the confusion was in terms of what happened. It was all pretty cut and dry. The general shot out of his chair and leaned forward on his desk, demonstrating his rage.

"You go in with twenty three of my men, and leave seventeen behind…on a fuckin mission that required you to do no more than investigate what Esthar had found in Centra," he said in a loud, stern and unyielding voice.

"Sir, we did everything just as you ordered," Laguna answered, remaining calm in the process, "My group, Team Storm, entered from the northeastern entrance of the target. We were ambushed as we made our way through the tunnels. We tried to pull out but Estharian forces sealed all known exits. The remaining members of my party, Sergeant Zabac and Sergeant Seagill, were able to find another exit and barely made it out alive," Laguna explained in detail. The commander smirked mockingly as he stood up straight.

"How convenient," he stated, seemingly calm, "You and your two buddies make it out while seventeen others died. Guess I don't have to ask you if you play favorites," the General stated with smugness in his voice, making an implication that Laguna didn't appreciate.

"What are you implying?" Laguna inquired, again remaining calm. The General slowly walked around the desk and paced behind Laguna on his way towards the back of the office near the observation window.

"Loire, you may be General McIntyre's little golden boy, but I personally don't give a fuck," he harshly stated from the back for the room, and then turned around, "You may have fooled some of these idiots into thinking you are a hero because you saved few lives in the past, but unlike them, I refuse to ignore the many lives that were lost at the expense of your carelessness and downright stupidity," he went on, taking shot after shot at Laguna, who had enough and shot out of his seat and turned towards the Major General. Upon seeing this, the commander strolled slowly up to Laguna, face to face, and looked him dead in the eyes.

"As soon as we get back to Fort Hawk, I am requesting that you are decommissioned. You have no business being an officer and leading men," he told Laguna calmly, but with obvious spite in his voice.

Laguna bit his lip, and turned his head to the side, trying to maintain his composure. He didn't like making waves and he knew the General would only gain leverage with any insubordination on Laguna' part. Still, Laguna was tired of it. This wasn't the first time the man everyone called _"Fury"_ because of his temper had tried to pin blame on him that wasn't his, but he knew that this time it could lead to stiffer penalties than just relocation to a remote military facility. It could lead to brig time or actual discharge from the Galbadian Army. Not just for him but Kiros, Ward and probably Hauk too. Upon thinking of his comrades, Laguna finally decided to play Fury's game. He raised his head and stared right at the General, taking him by surprise a bit.

"Does General Davies know that you only sent twenty four men in, despite repeated suggestions to send more? If he doesn't, I'm sure he would like to know," Laguna stated, with resolution in his voice. This statement caused Fury to shake with rage and his face to fill with blood out of sheer rage.

"Are you threatening me, Loire?" the General asked through gritted teeth, trying to intimidate Laguna. The General may have had rank on Laguna, but Laguna never once felt intimidated by him.

"No," Laguna shook his head, and calmly answered, "But I took a lot of undeserved blame for what happened in Timber a few years ago. You aren't going to put this all on me again just because you have some personal score to settle," he insisted, seemingly annoying the commander further. Fury took a step forward, almost nose to nose with Laguna.

"You listen to me, Loire. You don't have…" the commander started in a low, somewhat sadistic voice before the ship was rocked and both the commander and Laguna were jolted off balance.

"What the hell!" the commander shouted, and looked out the observation window, seeing nothing but blue water and distance landscapes. He ran over to his desk and tapped the speakerphone on his desk, "Colonel Raasz, whats going on!" he inquired. For a few moments, there was no response. Just as the commander started to head for the door, the colonel replied.

"General, it appears to be Estharian troops! They are on sleek personal watercrafts that armed with some kind of explosives!" the man on the other end explained frantically, sounding disoriented and out of breath.

"How many are there?" the General asked, and after a brief pause got another response.

"Four…no fi..six, seven…I can't tell, I jus…" the colonel explained before loud shots rang out on the other end, and communication went silent.

"Colonel? COLONEL!" the General shouted, but in reality knew what happened, and threw the phone across the room, "Fuck!" he exclaimed and made his way towards the intercom to alert the remaining crew on board. Laguna ran back to the observation window, watching as Estharian clad soldiers in their alien-like, shiny metallic armor sped ahead on their small watercrafts, and then jumped onto the ship with relative ease and supernatural agility.

"All hands on deck... BATTLE STATIONS, THIS IS NOT A DRILL! Man gun turrets and take defensive measures. SHOOT TO KILL!" he stated, although there were only about 35 crew on the ship before the attacks began, and wasnt sure how many remained. The General ran back by Laguna and saw the Estarian soliders boarding the ship. They were confronted by a few Galbadian soliders and sailors on board, but were not a match for the much better prepared Estharian troops.

Fury drew a walkie talkie from his side to contact the bridge.

"Drop the Daisy Chains and activate the distress beacon!" he shouted. Daisy Chains were a basically a chain of linked explosives that were dropped in the water to prevent ships enemy ships from advancing and following. Laguna didn't know what the solider on the other end was saying. but it sounded as if the person on the other end didn't care for that idea.

"Drop them! Thats a fucking order!" the General shouted and then looked at Laguna, "Help secure the door! It should hold until reinforcements arrive!" he told Laguna as he ran towards the large metal door. Laguna looked at him, a bit puzzled.

"Sir, we can't stay in here while everyone else is out in the open. We have to help them!" he insisted.

"We arent prepared to fight off Estaharian forces. The men downstairs are as good as dead! Now help me secure the room!" the General demanded, but as he pushed the door shot Laguna stepped in front and stopped him.

"No," Laguna demanded, bothered by the General's seeming lack of care and cowardice. Inexplicably and suddenly, the general pulled a small handgun from his side and cocked it and pointed it at Laguna. In all the years that he had known the General, he never thought of him as someone who would abandon fellow soldiers in such a crisis, much less threaten to kill one of his own to save his own ass.

After a moment, Fury flipped the gun in his hand so that he was holding the barrel, and handed the gun to Laguna.

"Godspeed Lieutenant," he told him, wishing him luck. At the very least he was offering some type of aid, although it was clear he wasn't following Laguna out. Laguna grabbed the gun quickly and moved out of the way, silently heading down the steps and through the corridors, knowing that around any turn, he could meet his demise.

Laguna could hear gunshots and screams in the distance. He made his way towards the aft of the ship, trying to get to the armory where there could be something that might stop the Estaharian forces. Along the way, he passed the ships small laboratory where the research team was doing preliminary scans of the crystals. The entire team was slaughtered, with blood splattered grotesquely all around the room, including the young intelligence specialist who he spoke to earlier. Laguna closed his eyes momentarily to mourn them, but was interrupted by a loud explosion.

Heading towards the back end of the ship, he could see that the small Galabadian ship behind them was heavily damaged, probably due to the Daisy Chains the General ordered to have dropped. He could see soldiers and crew members on the other ship on fire and jumping off the side of the ship. He also saw that the Daisy Chains took out a few Estarian soldiers, but did more damage to Galbadian forces.

Despite his anger towards Fury for what he did, there was no time. He could hear more screams towards the front of the ship and knew he had to hurry. He quickly ran around the corner into the small armory, and grabbed a few weapons, including an automatic machine gun, two grenades, a combat blade and a specialized explosive nicknamed "Cherry Poppers". After arming himself, he excited the room and made his way towards the front end of the ship.

Laguna was still hearing alot of commotion up ahead, but it was fading slowly with each passing moment, which was not a good thing. The increased silence likely meant that the G-Army forces on board were getting thin, and just prayed he wasn't too late to help some of them, especially Kiros and Ward. Laguna stepped over dead bodies and puddles of dark blood as he made his way down the hall, passing several soldiers he never seen before, as well as a few familiar faces. As he got closer to the front of the ship, he noticed one deceased soldier holding a beer bottle, with a large gash in his neck, lying lifeless on the floor.

Laguna kneeled down next to the body, "Hauk...damn it!" he stated sadly, but knew he didn't have time to mourn properly. He stood up and continued his trek.

After a bit longer, Laguna drew close to the infirmary where Kiros and Ward were last seen. He gripped the rifle tightly and grit his teeth, knowing that these could be his final moments, but was proud to die if it meant he could save a life. However, as he began to move forward to the door, he could hear gunshots and screams within the recovery ward. Laguna froze and took a step back, knowing his best friends were now likely dead.

Tears began swelling up in Laguna's eyes. He had known Ward and Kiros since basic training, and they had been together ever since. They had been through so much. They had so many good memories, and they helped each other bear the bad ones. But now, only Laguna remained to shoulder them. Laguna looked up with rage in his eyes and prepared to storm the room. He knew it was likely suicide, but wasn't going to let his friends die in vain.

Just as Laguna began to move again, he felt as a hand wrapped around his mouth and pulled him backwards forcefully, just as Estarharian soldiers began exiting the medical ward.

For a moment, he just felt as the figure dragged him backwards in a dark area of the ship where he couldn't really see anything. He tried to reach for his knife but couldn't reach it on his lap strap. After about two minutes, he felt a freezing cold chill as he was dragged into another area he couldn't see. The figure suddenly let him go, and he fell on his back, hearing as some type of door or metal hatch closed slowly. Laguna quickly drew his gun and spun on the floor, still not able to see anything. Suddenly, a light came on, revealing two very familiar faces inside the ships deep freezer behind the kitchen.

Laguna stood up slowly, almost in shock, "Ki...Kiros?" he muttered, too relieved to convey his true emotions as he saw his old friend, along with Ward, sitting unconsciously nearby in a wheelchair that was much too small for him, as most were.

Kiros smirked and nodded, "You were expecting someone else?" he jested, but still seemed a bit panicked.

Suddenly, Laguna's senses and instincts rushed back to him. He was happy to see his friends had survived, but knew if he wanted them to stay that way, they had to act quickly.

"Did you see how many Esthar soliders were on the ship?" Laguna asked, but Kiros wasn't sure.

"I saw five, but I know two were taken out. But who knows how many have boarded since then?" Kiros stated with a shrug. Laguna, still upset with the other deaths shook his head.

"Why would Esthar come after us like that? It's one thing to attack us in the caves, but to follow us like that? It's not like them!" Laguna deducted, trying to find some sort of reasoning.

"It obviously has something to do with the crystal we extracted," Kiros added, "why else would they go to such lengths to protect it?" he finished. but it still didn't make much sense.

"There has to be something about it that makes it so valuable, and it goes beyond just money. But what? What could it be?" Laguna questions out loud, still perplexed.

Suddenly, Ward made a sick gurgling sound and his body twitched. Kiros ran over to check on him quickly, and then looked back to Laguna with a concerned look.

"We need to get him further medical attention soon...or he could die," he told Laguna, who just looked at Ward, hoping he could hold on, but knew waiting for reinforcements and medics to arrive was pointless, as Esthar soldiers were likely to find them first.

"Let's go, " Laguna told Kiros and readied his gun, "We're getting off this boat, or we'll die trying."

Kiros was often annoyed by Laguna's bravado because it often put them in situations they shouldn't have been in, but he knew just as well that waiting wasn't the best option. They slowly began to move forward with Laguna leading the way, with his gun pointed forward and ready to blast anything that got in his path. At that point, Laguna was not concerned with his own safety, but Kiros and Ward's especially, given the condition he was in.

They covertly made their way through the ship and finally reached the open stern end of the ship without confrontation. Everything seemed peaceful and quiet at that moment, aside from the dozen or so slaughtered G-Army soldiers and sailors that were scattered around the deck.

Laguna surveyed the area, not seeing any sign of further Estharian presence. On the port side of the ship, Laguna saw the emergency escape boat ready to be deployed. He waved Kiros on, who pushed Ward in his wheelchair as he followed behind Laguna with one of his blades drawn. It seemed the Estaharian had gotten whatever they came for, and had taken off in the time they were back in the deep freezer. Still, they weren't taking any chances.

After about a minute, they reached the other side of the ship, as Laguna kept his gun ready and continued shifting around, making sure there were no surprise attacks coming. After a final quick survey, Laguna tugged on the support wires for the small craft, making sure they were steady before they attempted to get Ward on the craft. It looked like two sailors tried to escape already but were taken out before they could do so. Laguna reluctantly pushed the dead sailors off the escape boat into the sea below, and waved Kiros on.

"We need to get Ward on here," Laguna told him as he jumped off the craft and back onto the deck of the ship, to help Kiros get the mammoth Ward on board.

"Right," Kiros stated, and just as they began to move him, Ward shift in his chair and grunted, to their surprise.

"Whhhas gonon ooou guiiis", Ward choked out in a dreary haze with his eyes still closed. He had woken up and seemed to be somewhat aware, much to the relief of Kiros and Laguna, but was still in bad shape.

"Take it easy, buddy," Laguna told Ward and both him and Kiros continued trying to pull him out of the chair, "We're getting you somewhere safe," he finished. Just as they managed to pull Ward out of his chair, a loud scream came from above.

"What was that?" Kiros stated looking around and Laguna glanced around, not immediately noticing where the scream came from. Looking up, he saw the observation deck and the large window next to it. Immediately, Laguna remembered who was in that room.

"The General!" Laguna shouted, as he continued to look up, still deliberating with himself. He was torn at the moment; save the General who had shown such seeming disregard for his own troops in their dire time of need, or ensure the safety of his friends. A battle of ethics raged within Laguna, pulling him in both directions, but he couldn't make up his mind.

Suddenly, Kiros gave Lagina the nudge he needed.

"Go, Laguna," Kiros stated with a smile, proud of his friend, "You know you're not going to leave him behind," he finished with a nod. Laguna looked up and then back to Ward and Kiros. As much as friction as there was between Laguna and the General, he knew he couldn't leave him behind, or he would be no better than the General.

"Damn it!" Laguna cussed, knowing what he had to do, "Get Ward on the boat" he told Kiros, and then let go of Ward, causing him to fall back into his wheelchair after Kiros had to bear all the weight which caused him to lose balance with the large man on his shoulders. Laguna readied his assault rifle once more and ran forward, hoping he wouldn't be too late to help.

Laguna sprinted forth, jumping over various debris and fallen G-Army troops and medical staff. As he winded around the corridors and finally came upon the metal staircase that let up to the general's office and observation deck, he heard clangs on the staircase, and watched as a body dressed in a standard Galbadian naval uniformed slid down the stairs head first. The sailor laid sprawled out of the floor, with several mortal wounds to his chest and abdomen.

"Paxon!" Laguna ran to him and kneeled down after noticing who it was. Paxon was in charge of protecting the samples they collected, but obviously was not able to do so to no fault of his own.

"Lagu...na," Paxon forced out, struggling to breathe, "They…got…the samples," he told him, still choking out air. Laguna nodded and patted him on the shoulder, know there wasnt much he could do for Paxon aside form console him.

"It's alright, Pax" he assured him in a low, somber voice, "You did everything you could."

"Help…the General…I…I.." Paxon began agian, but this time, did not finished as the wounds finally claimed him as another victim.

Laguna was infuriated. The loss of life that day was needless and the gruesome way it was being done seemed like the Estharian troops were on a killing spree rather than a mission to recover stolen items, regardless of how valuable they were. Laguna once again headed up the staircase, careful not to make too much noise, hoping he could surprise whatever enemies remained with a sneak attack.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, he rushed to the corner of the door to the general's office and took covered behind the steel partition. Looking in, he noticed too Estarian soldiers, both yield weapons that looked like a freak combination of an battle axe and gun, standing by the general, who was securely fastened to a chair with his shirt open, and several deep cuts on his chest. They didnt seen like fatal injuries, but Laguna knew that likely wasn't too far behind if he didn't act quickly.

Still, Laguna wasn't sure what he could do. He knew his bullets, at best, would probably just leave dents in their ridiculously strong armor, but there wasnt many options. He just hoped that his friends could get off the boat before it was too late. Laguna gripped his gun with both hands, took one last deep breath with a prayer to Hyne, and stormed in.

"Freeze!" Laguna yelled, and both Estharian soldiers turned, not seeming fazed or concerned with Laguna's threat at all, "Havent you shed enough blood today?" he asked, watching as dropped of blood fell from the general and to the floor. One of the Estharian soldiers slowly walked toward Laguna, raising his weapon in the air.

"Not yet!" he answered Laguna in a somewhat robotic voice. As the soldier drew near, Laguna fired off several rounds, which actually knocked the Estharian solider back a bit at such close range, but failed to pierce the armor at all. The soldier continue driving forward and Laguna kept firing, but knew that as soon as he ran out of bullets he was dead. Out the corner of his eye he could see the other Esthar solider raise his weapon, and a light emerged from the weapon, look as if it were about to fire at Laguna.

Suddenly, he watched as the general emerged from his chair quickly after somehow getting free from his constraints. The Esthar soldier turned around, only to watch as the general put some type of device to his head. Laguna watched as smoke emerged from the head of the Esthar solider and it began to fall to its needs. Apparently, the general had a miniaturized laser cutter which he used to get free, and was now using it to burn right through the armored skull of the Estharian soldier.

Upon seeing this, the other soldier turned from Laguna, and raised his weapon to fire at the general. Laguna knew that his gun wouldn't stop him, so he bolted forward as fast as he could and dived at the Esthar soldier, which caused both of them to break through the observation window and onto the deck on the outside.

Both Laguna and the soldier immediately arose. Laguna had no other choice but to fire his gun, even though he knew it likely wouldn't do much. Laguna pulled back the trigger, but only three bullets sprayed out before all he heard was clicks. Laguna had run out of ammunition, and was now at the mercy of the ruthless Estharian soldier.

The soldier moved forward and raised his sharp, axe like weapon high in the air and came down fast. Laguna held up his gun to block the strike, as his gun was only good as a melee weapon at that point. He managed to block the blow, but the force was devastating and bent the gun with the first strike and pretty much cut it in half with the second and third strikes. As the forth reigned down, Laguna spun to the right, as the axe blade came down right where he once was, actually leaving a small cut in the steel ground below it.

Laguna stood up, and drew his blade, which he knew basically served no purpose at that point other than to maybe kill himself and spare himself the pain, but he would never do that. _He wasnt going down without a fight. Not to these bastards. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction regardless of how much suffering it meant. _

As the Estharian soldier drew closer, Laguna backed up, finally against the guard rail, looking down at the ground about 25 feet below. It wasn't a fall that would likely kill him, but jumping off wouldnt do much to help his cause. Suddenly, the soldier stormed forward and raised his axe and came down with it. Laguna bent back over the rail and started to lose balance. He grabbed the Estharian soldier who was within reaching distance, and the soldier dived forward and took him over the rail, and both fell to the hard ground below, near some equipment and exposed pipes.

Much to Laguna's dismay, both his weight and the weight of the Estharian soldier hit the ground with his back breaking the fall. He felt bones and ribs crack and struggled to breath, but fortunately could still feel all his extremities, which meant no likely severe spinal damage.

The good news was that the soldier dropped his weapon during the fall, but Laguna came to just as he watch three sharp razors emerge from the soldiers knuckles and he was attempting to deliver a blow to Laguna's throat, which would surely end his life.

Quickly, Laguna raised both arms to block the attack. His one arm grasped the Estharian troops forearm to keep it in place and the other was clenching the fist, with the razors digging and slicing through Laguna's hand and fingers. Laguna screamed in agony as he blades tore through flesh and nerves in his hand, but still had the resolve and strength hold him off, but that was fading quickly. As his strength started to wane and the soldiers fist got closer, Laguna spoke.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked through grit teeth, trying to at least shed some light on the matter before he was killed. He wasn't expecting and answer, but he got one.

"In due time, the people of this planet will bow before the kingdom of Esthar and its savior," the soldier stated, confusing Laguna even further before the Esthar troop elaborated, "and the Great Sorceress Adel!" he finished.

Laguna's mind and Squall's mind were both sharing a single thought at the moment. _Sorceress? Is it the same one? What does this mean? _They both wondered_,_ simultaneously.

"It is a shame you won't be around to see your friends and family kneel before Adel to beg her for mercy," the soldier continued, and then started to apply extra strength into his arm, "It will be glorious."

The soldiers fist was now only four inches from Laguna's exposed throat and getting closer. Squall could feel everything that Laguna was feeling. _The razors tearing his hands...the salty sweat running down his face and into his eyes and corners of his mouth...the desperation of knowing this was likely the end...and the insurmountable rage of knowing he couldn't do anything to stop Esthar and supposed sorceress._

Then, out of nowhere, a glimmer of hope.

Squall felt something, and so did Laguna. They shared it toghther. A moment of desperation and rage, and a power fueling them both that could not be explained. Squall had felt it before and knew what it was, but how was he feeling it now? _He was not really Squall at that moment, but Laguna...in a dream...or is it?_

Laguna felt a surprising surge of energy and power pulse through his body, and a voice in his head telling him to fight. It couldn't be explained, and at that point, it really didn't need to be.

Much to the Estharian soldiers shock, Laguna began to push his arm and fist back, even as the soldier began to apply more power, it was not budging. The Esthar troop even tried to pull his hand back, but couldn't move it. it was unexplainable. _How was a human with no enhancements doing this? _

_Little did he know he was being enhanced, but by a supernatural force._

Laguna's anger continued to swell within him, as did his strength. Laguna had realized that Esthar was planning something major and that this was just likely the beginning and knew that he needed to stay alive to help stop it. A yellowish aura blazed from his eyes and around his being, shocking the Esthar soldier even more.

Suddenly, Laguna leaned up and grabbed the throat of the Esthar soldier, which was protected by the armor, but didn't matter at the moment. Laguna squeezed with a force that began to crumple the metallic armor like a plastic cup, causing the soldier underneath to choke. Laguna pulled him in, face to face.

"I'll be around," Laguna told him, wrathfully and calmly at the same time. He pulled the Cherry Popper explosive he got earlier from his pocket and attached it to the head of the Esthar troop, and twisted the red bulb on the device, causing it to blink and beep.

"...But you wont," Laguna finished, and thrust his arm forward, throwing the Esthar solider off him and about ten feet forward before hitting the ground. The soldier quickly got to knee and reached up to the device, and tried to pull it off, but to no avail. After a few seconds and several desperate attempts to remove it, the device went off, and a small flash and burst detonated, along with the soldiers head. It's now lifeless body fell from its knees to the ground, and Laguna could see skull, brains, blood and mechanisms within what little was left of the soliers head, making it look like it was some type of cybernetically enhanced human.

After a moment, the rush that Laguna and Squall were feeling subsided, and the pain and weakness returned. Laguna slowly fell backwards, but still fell an odd sensation in his head, and began laughing faintly, knowing that whatever it was probably just saved his life.

"Laguna!" he heard a voice yell out, but was too weak to look up or reply. Withing moments he saw his friend, Kiros Seagill, standing over him, the sun overhead making it someone difficult to see him. "I heard an explosion. Are you okay?" he asked and kneeled down next to Laguna, and saw the dead Esthar soldier a few feet away. Laguna just chuckled and laid his head back on the ground.

"I could use a vacation," Laguna stated in a low, but humorous tone.

"Haha, met too man," Kiros grinned and laughed, "A team of Vipers and medics just arrived. Ward should be fine," he informed Laguna, who got an even bigger smile.

"Thats awesome," Laguna said, again faintly. He was extremely happy about the news, but couldn't find the energy to appropriately convey how he felt. Kiros thought Laguna was just exhausted, and rightfully so.

"Come on Laguna," Kiros waved him up, offering a hand, "They'll be plenty of time to rest up back at base." Laguna smiled and nodded a bit, but didnt make any attempt to get up.

"Hey Kiros," he said with a bit of joy in his voice, but weakly.

"Yeah buddy?" Kiros asked.

"Remember a few years ago in Timber, we felt really odd, like there were other people inside our head?" Laguna asked, the question kind of catching Kiros off guard.

"Kinda, why?" Kiros replied, genuinely curious.

"Because...I think those fairies are back," Laguna answered him with a smiled as he tapped a finger to his temple. Kiros just grinned and went to help his friend up.

"Ha,,youre just ti..." Kiros began, but then saw something. A pool of dark red liquid he didn't notice before, that hard formed under Laguna. Frantically he looked at that back of Laguna's head, which had been seeping blood the entire time.

"Laguna..." Kiros muttered in grim reality, on the brink of crying as he watched Laguna's eyes close, but the smile on his face remained.

"...no" Kiros barely got out before he pulled his friend close to him, and shook him a bit, "Laguna wake up buddy," he said, but got no response from his usually lively friend. Tears streamed down Kiros face as he continued to beg Laguna to wake, "Laguna...please...wake up," he cried out.

Squall could hear the black man named Kiros weeping, and crying out for help as the sounds around him faded and the pain within Laguna's body began to fade away.

_Is this guy dying? Am...I, dying?_ Squall questioned within the confines of Laguna's mind, or what was left of it. The numbness continued to envelop his body and mind, and he had no idea what was happening to Laguna, or to himself.

_Suddenly, his consciousness began to fade away._

_With his final thought, Squall wondered if he would even wake up this time._

* * *

**Authors Note**

Not going to put many notes in here. I encourage anyone who interested in this story or my writing to read my profile, which I just updated.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.


	25. Chapter XX: Maximum Duplicity

"_And thus I clothe my naked villany__  
__With odd old ends stolen out of holy writ;__  
__And seem a saint, when most I play the devil."_  
― **William Shakespeare****,**_**Richard III**_

**Chapter XX**

_**Maximum Duplicity**_

**Saturday, May 6th 4268/Galbadia Garden - Headmaster Martine's Office**

**0712 hrs**

Edwin Martine yawned repeatedly as he walked back to his office, with his freshly brewed morning coffee in hand. He had the same morning routine for nearly twelve years. _Wake up at 0530, eat breakfast, shower, get dressed and be in his office and ready to go by 0700 with a cup of black coffee in hand._ Obviously there were alot of deviations due to emergencies and whatnot, but on standard days, he never strayed from his routine.

Until today, that is.

Sleep was scarce for him the previous evening. He lied in his bed silently under his thousand thread count sheets, in the darkness, tossing and turning, throwing those same sheets and off the bed in attempt to find that sweet spot that would carry him into the arms of slumber. His mind didn't stop racing until the middle of the night, on the carpeted floor of his bedroom, lying on a pillow with another pillow nestled between his legs. An unusual position, but it got the job done. Sadly, only for about an hour and a half, which didn't do enough to make up for the headaches and anxiety the previous day brought him.

Waking up a bit late, he had to rush, knowing he had an early morning meeting and wanted to be prepared. He always liked to review any information available to him several times before any meetings, so he was more versed on information than anyone. Fact was though, he couldn't have been any MORE prepared than he already was, or at least any more privy to the information that the meeting was in regards to. There really wasn't alot of information to begin with, but what he did have he went over about twenty times in excruciating detail, seeing as how this was information that could reshape his future, as well as the future of Galbadia and possibly the rest of the world.

_It was almost too much...knowing that._

When he arrived at his office, he sat at his desk, and cycled through the information several more times as soon as he got there, before he even had a chance to truly wake up, or allow his eyes adjust the rays of the early morning sunset as they peeked over the mountain range in the distance. He knew the information backwards, but was looking for anything that needed to be addressed, even though it was pretty cut and dry. There was only one minute detail on the paper he could find that sparked his curiosity, but wasn't even sure if it mattered. It was regarding the report that Quistis Trepe had submitted to him just a day earlier.

_A name_. A single name caught his eye. He squinted at it and leaned his head into his hand, hoping to reach into the shadowy recesses of his memory and figure out why that name sounded so familiar. He shook his head, aggravated that the answer wouldn't come to him.

"Rinoa Heartilly…where do I know that name from?" he muttered, starting to give up and think it really wasn't something to be concerned about. If it was that important, he figured he wouldn't have forgotten the names significance.

After leafing through the info a bit more, he heard the mechanical door to his office slide open and then closed, figuring it was just his secretary, bringing him a message, or maybe a blueberry pastry, which he would've welcomed at that moment. The individual stood in front of his desk, but Martine still didn't raise his head, as it was buried within the information he was going over, just as it had been for the last few days.

"Burning the candle at both ends, I see," the gruff, aging voice said to Martine, immediately pulling him back to reality as he recognized the tone.

Looking up, he saw a man, standing before him in a highly decorated, black Galbadian Army dress uniform. There were so many service medals and recognition pins that it almost covered the entire front of the suit. But Edwin supposed that being in the G-Army for 31 years and being the top ranking military officer of the biggest Army in the world have that effect.

As Edwin stood up, he looked into the man's greenish grey eyes, which always seemed fairly cold and detached, with very little warmth or compassion to speak of. Again, he figured being in the military and several violent wars would have that effect on any man. He stood just under six feet tall, but his stance and military bearing made him seem as if he were eight feet tall, at least metaphorically. He had short, dark brown hair, which was almost black, that was combed neatly, with streaks of grey running along the side of his head, right above his ears.

They were supposed to meet about a week earlier, when both were first notified of the president's plan to appoint a sorceress as the new ambassador of Galbadia. The General and his men set forth their own plans almost immediately following that. The general had told Martine the very basic details, and was supposed to be there to discuss the nitty-gritty details with him earlier that week, but it kept getting pushed back, which made Martine tense and a bit frustrated.

"Jonathan, where have you been!" Martine asked almost demandingly. The General just smirked at Martine's heated inquiry.

"Calm yourself Edwin " the general told him calmly, but it was also a bit scary at the same time, "Between security for the parade and trying to get the digital signals back up for Tuesday, I don't have time to answer every last call," he finished, getting louder and more shrewd with each word he spoke. Martine bowed his head for a moment to collect himself, and then looked back to the general.

"I'm sorry, but you know the scope of what we are trying to do," Martine stated, "I may have found a solution to our problem, though," he said and sat back down in his seat, and the general took a seat as well.

"Well?" the general asked, seeming a bit impatient.

"I have enrolled the aid of four SeeD's to help us in this mission," he told the general, who sat completely upright in his seat and then leaned forward a bit upon hearing the news.

"SeeD?" he inquired, almost seeming bothered, "Do you know what will happen if anyone finds out you have hired SeeD?" he told Edwin, who waved the general off before he could continue.

"It's not an officially sanctioned mission," he told the general, which calmed him a bit and piqued his curiosity, "I talked to Cid Kramer, and he is willing bend the rules", Martine finished, seeming happy. The general found the news to be welcoming, but perplexing.

"That doesn't sound like Cid Kramer at all," he told Martine, knowing Cid from various meetings regarding both Garden's and trying to claim Balamb as a Galbadian territory, "Especially considering the terms of the mission…" he finished, alluding to Cid's connection with the mission at hand.

Edwin felt ashamed for a moment. He had known the Kramer's for a long time and they were good to him, always. But he knew he had a job to do, and would have expected Cid to do the same if the roles were reversed. The problem Edwin was having is that he didn't believe that Cid would actually do something like that.

At this point though, the plan was already set in motion and couldn't be stopped, at least not without dire consequences.

"Let's just say Cid isn't privy to all the details," Edwin informed the general, whose eyes widened. He knew Martine very well, and knew he was not one for deception.

"Heh…you lied to him?" the general asked, almost laughing at the notion. Martine nodded slowly, obviously not proud of doing what he felt was necessary.

"Cid is a dear friend, but his judgment is clouded. If we allow this to continue any further, things are just going to get worse," Martine explained, simultaneously trying to convince himself that what he was doing was truly for the best, "Besides, I have an understanding with their Garden Master," he finished. The general nodded and stood from the chair.

"Good work Edwin, I'm impressed," he told the Headmaster, who didn't seem quite as thrilled, "We can move ahead with our plan now, but there is still much work to be done. Brief the SeeD's with as much information as you can and send me whatever information you can on them so I know what I am working with." the general told Martine and then began to walk towards the door.

"General," Martine stood and called out after noticing the general heading towards the mechanical door, "Where are you going? I thought you were here to discuss the details." he asked as he walked around his desk towards the man.

"What's to discuss?" the general shrugged. "You solved our biggest problem by getting SeeD involved. Nice work," he told Edwin, and turned once again to leave the office, but Edwin stopped him again

"I'd appreciate to know what exactly the plan is," Martine asked in a somewhat sterm voice, feeling a bit left out, consdiering everything he had done. The general turned around and walked up to him with a fake smile on his face.

"You know the objective, and the purpose of that objective Martine. That's all you NEED to know!" he demanded to Edwin heatedly, finally getting it through to Martine that he was not going to be given access to such information. The general again walked towards the door, but turned around one last time before he made his exit.

"Besides Edwin...the less you know...the better," he left with parting words and another fake smile before the door slid closed behind him.

Edwin however, did not agree, and was infuriated. He put his ass on the line as much as anyone, and was still being treated like lesser partner in this endeavor. Edwin betrayed and continued to betray his code of ethics as he assisted in this affair, and if it didn't work, he didn't trust the general or the Balamb Garden Master to help him, and Cid would likely want Martine's head if he found out the true objective of the mission.

Martine plopped back down in his chair and buried his face into his hands.

He felt he may have made a big mistake.

* * *

**Saturday, May 6th 4268/Galbadian Garden Dormitories**

**0846 hrs**

Distant, hollow echoes of voices and billowing tides of water reverberated through the walls of his mind. His body was still numb, and even though he never lost consciousness, he no longer felt part of his world or Laguna's. He drifted along in the nothingness, not able to wake up or truly fall asleep. He could also hear what sounded like a playful melody, which was slowly replacing the sounds he heard as he drifted from Laguna's world, which he still didn't know what to make of.

Momentarily, he felt a buzzing sensation in his head once again accompanied by a slight headache, The music he was hearing was getting gradually louder, along with some over the top sound effects. He could feel a wetness seeping from the corner of his mouth, as his lips and chin rested in a pool of what he only assumed could be drool. The entire left side of his face felt scrunched up and tingly, and he felt his body move, but now under his own control.

Opening his eyes, he could see the fine grains of the carpeted floor that his cheek was pressed down against. He felt generally well rested, even though it felt as if he didn't sleep a wink. Out of all the peculiar things Squall had seen in his time as a SeeD and cadet, this was the most inexplicable. While he always had vivid nightmares since he was a child, which was yet another rumored side affect of utilizing Guardian Forces, this was beyond any reverie he had ever experienced.

He peeled his face and body off the floor and struggled to his knees, feeling his muscles and joints had stiffened after spending a prolonged amount of time lying on the floor. He looked up at the television which was still on, seeing a cartoon was playing, explaining the playful music and sound effects. Squall slowly rose to his feet, stretched a bit and slowly walked to the bathroom.

After running several handfuls of freezing cold water over his face, he looked up, seeing himself looking back. He closed his eyes, once again recounting the experience he just had. Squall never gave many second thoughts to his dreams, as they usually weren't so cryptic. He knew why he had nightmares after his first kill and where they spawned from, but he had no idea where these dreams about this random Galbadian soldier were coming from, or why they felt so real to him.

As he pondered this thought, the buzzer to his room went off, signaling there was someone at the door. Squall looked back towards the front room and then back into the mirror. His face was still red and imprinted with the wavy, grainy texture of the carpet he spent the night on, and his eyes were still tired looking and squinty. Squall flicked off the bathroom light and headed to the front door.

Squall pushed a button beside the mechanical door, which then slid up and open. Standing before Squall was a young man, no older than fifteen, in a Galbadian cadet uniform. He seemed edgy as Squall looked at him, waiting for him to say something. After a nervous pause, the young man spoke.

"Umm, are you Squall Leon...hart?" he asked, looking down at the small paper in his hands to make sure he got the name correct.

"Yeah." Squall confirmed and tiredly nodded, which made the young man smile.

"Wow, a real SeeD! It's an honor!" he excitedly complemented Squall, who showed no particular reaction or emotion. He just widened his eyes a bit, signaling the boy to get to the point, "Umm, Headmaster Martine wanted me to tell you that your party's presence is needed in his office at 1100 hours," he finished.

"In regards to…" Squall shrugged. He was aware of what the likely reason was, but always made sure he had all the information.

"I don't know, sir. He didn't go into detail," the boy informed Squall, who took a small breath then nodded.

"Fine," he answered, and leered at the boy. This made the young man uncomfortable, and he turned quickly and hastily made his way down the hall. It wasn't Squall's intention to stare at or intimidate the young man, but he was still struggling to wake up, and also continuing to try to make sense of the experience he had.

After a moment, Squall widened his eyes and became more alert. Just as he reached over to hit the button to close the door, another voice called out to him.

"Hey," the soft female voice he immediately recognized said. Looking over, he saw Rinoa, who was standing in the hallway just outside his door. She was still wearing the black sleeveless undershirt and shorts she was wearing the day prior, but her hair looked a bit damp like she had just taken a shower.

"Do you mind if I come in?" she asked, trying to seem upbeat, but it was also obvious she was still upset, most likely regarding Seifer. With wary reluctance, Squall simply nodded and turned, giving her permission to enter. Rinoa realized that was about the extent of the hospitality he would extend and followed him inside. They walked into the kitchen area, where Squall reached into the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water and began guzzling the beverage.

"Squall," Rinoa began, knowing he wasn't likely to say anything else, "I know we haven't seen eye to eye about a lot of things, but I feel like I owe you an apology," she said, bowing her head a bit. Squall stopped drinking his water upon hearing this, and swallowed what was left in his mouth before he spoke.

"For what?" he asked, not sure exactly what she was referring to.

"Yesterday," she answered, seeming surprised he didn't remember, "I know being a soldier you have to be able to deal with death. I guess I'm just not accustomed to that," she explained and began to walk closer , "And you were right about Seifer. He wouldn't want us dwelling over him and mourning his death," she said in a somber tone, by trying to be a bit more positive about the situation.

"You don't need to apologize. How you choose to deal with it is your decision," he told her in a tired voice, as he walked back to the fridge and put the water back inside.

"I know," she softly answered as Squall turned back to her, "I just felt I was out of line for saying what I said," Rinoa elaborated, seeming truly apologetic.

Squall didn't want to hear this. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the gesture, but it was completely unnecessary. She had nothing to be sorry for in his mind, and it seemed like she was just extending an olive branch and trying mend fences. He was fine with that, but would've rather she came right out and said it. Squall shrugged and leaned back against the fridge.

"You said how you felt," he told her, with his usual apathetic demeanor. It wasn't the type of response she was hoping for, but didn't want to argue with him over something so petty.

"Anyway…" she began to change the subject, "I was thinking, maybe I shouldn't go to this meeting with the Headmaster."

"Why?" he asked her, again with a small shrug.

"Umm…well," she looked down at the ground as she started to explain. During his training at Garden, Squall learned how to pick up on when someone was hiding something...saying _'umm' _and looking away were basics.

"I'm not a SeeD, and I really don't know what he would want with me. Besides, if he needs me, I will still be on the grounds," she explained.

Squall wasn't exactly sure if that was the real reason, but it made sense. She likely wouldn't understand much of what was being talked about, and seeing as how it likely had more to do with their situation than hers, he agreed.

"Fine, but don't wander too far." Squall informed her, "In case he does want to speak to you." Rinoa smiled and nodded.

"I won't," she assured him. There was an awkward pause as she waited for him to say something else, but he didn't. He instead just turned and walked into the bathoom, and closed the door, and Rinoa could hear the shower start to run.

Rinoa couldn't help but find humor in it. As much as he gave her the cold shoulder, she still found him quite interesting and appealing. She had really started to see what Quistis meant by saying Squall and Seifer were similar and different. Both were extremely focused and unwavering in their resolve, but while Seifer's always came through in the form of arrogance, Squall's was much more direct.

Still, as much as Seifer's ego made him seem like a jerk at times, it was also what made him seem more accessible and open.

Squall on the other hand, was anything but, and Rinoa felt bad for him. He seemed alone, and while he put off like he preferred the remoteness of his existence, she could see something in his eyes that told her otherwise. It was only noticeable by an acute observer, but much like Qustis, Rinoa saw a passion in his eyes, and a care for the well being of others. Even for Seifer, she could see a sorrow in Squall's eyes the day before, even if he wouldn't begin to admit it.

"I'll get through to you, Squall Leonhart," she said in a very low, but determined voice, and exited his room.

* * *

**Saturday, May 6th 4268/Balamb Garden - Cid's Office**

**1010 hrs**

Cid sat there, staring at the picture.

It was a happier time. One that warmed his heart and moistened his eyes. It was from ten years earlier while he and his wife were on vacation in the tropical paradise of Costa Del Sol. She looked so beautiful and peaceful; not just her physical appearance but her aura in general. She was the type of person who could make someone smile by simply being near them. Just the mere thought of being in her presence brought a smile to him.

His fingers ran over the glass that encased the picture frame several times, smearing

fingerprints from previous recollections. If he closed his eyes and imagined hard enough, he could feel his hand caressing her cheeks and delicate white skin. The thought comforted him, but at the same time, tore him apart, thinking he may never get the chance to actually do it again. One again, tears streamed down his face. As tough as he tried to be for her and the people at Garden who depended on him, he just couldn't control his emotions at that point.

Suddenly, a voice startled him out of his daze.

"Good morning Headmaster," the voice greeted him, causing Cid to finally take his eyes off the picture and look up, seeing a member of the Garden faculty standing before his desk. He hadn't even heard them walk in during his momentary trance. Cid sat the picture back on the desk and put his glasses back on, trying to conceal the fact that he had been crying.

"Good morning," Cid answered, attempting to disguise any type of grief in his voice.

"Master NORG wanted to know if you finished with the third quarter fiscal projections yet?" the faculty member questioned, and Cid nodded as he reached into his inbox to grab a manila folder.

"Tell him there are some minor inconsistencies, but for the most part, everything looks good," he informed the faculty member and handed him the projections, who simply nodded. The faculty member stood before Cid, seemingly waiting for something. The Headmaster was confuised and looked up, signifying that they were done with his expression.

"Was there anything else Headmaster?" the faculty member asked with a peculiar tone in his voice, "You look like there is something troubling you," the faculty member stated.

Cid was constantly annoyed by the prying nature of the faculty. The seemed to comment on everything and put their nose into business where it didnt belong, even personal matters. In this case however, he did have Garden business he was withholding. He knew of NORG or the Garden faculty found out about the arrangement he made with Martine, that they would likely do everything in their power to prevent it, and that everyone involved, including all Balamb Garden, would be in serious jeopardy.

Cid knew for a fact that NORG and the Garden faculty held much from him, and even though he liked to play things by the book usually, this time the matter was more than just a simple mission. This was about his wife, his life and their future. If there was any chance of that, Deling had to be stopped.

"Uhh, no," he stated in a shaking voice. Noticing the faculty member still looking at him, Cid looked up and smiled, "Nothing out of the ordinary anyway. Just busy," he told them, trying to deflect any suspicion, but didnt seem to work very well

"Very well," the faculty member stated and turned to walk out of the office, sounding a bit angered by Cid's response.

Cid knew that the Garden Faculty likely suspected something, but he had to make sure they didn't find out exactly what him and Martine were up to...and he would go to any lengths to protect that secret.

* * *

**Saturday, May 6th 4268/ Galbadia Garden - Headmaster Martine's Office**

**1053 hrs**

Squall walked a steady pace through the halls of Galbadia Garden after finishing his breakfast. Along with being much bigger, Galbadia Garden also had nicer facilities and better food than Balamb Garden had. To that point, he had gotten used to the dry eggs and excessively salty hashed browns that was regularly served in the Balamb Garden cafeteria, but the breakfast he had that morning was so good he had second and third servings before heading off for the training center.

Even the Galbadia Garden training center completely outclassed Balamb's, as it wasn't just a jungle area with different fiends, but a state of the art virtual simulator that could emulate different battle situations, such as fighting humans, fiends or even mages and in a wide variety of different environment and settings. Unfortunately, Squall did not have the clearance to do much more than hack down some virtual bite bugs and Grats, which hadn't proved as much of a challenge since he was a new cadet.

After a bit of training, Squall returned his gunblade to his room, changed into a white button down shirt and black jeans, and made his way to the Headmaster's office, where the meeting was scheduled for 1100 hours. He made his way up to the elevator which was unusually spacious. He boarded with two female cadets who kept looking over at him and batting their eyes. Squall just stared forward and didn't indulge them, and they got off the elevator in a huff on the fourth floor.

Moments later, the elevator arrived on the eighth and top floor, where Martine's office was located. Squall walked through a small waiting area and up to the headmaster's secretary Trysh. She look up as he approached, and her eyes burst open in excitement as he got closer.

"Hey stud!" she said in a flirtatious manner, which Squall just dismissed.

"I'm Squall Leonhart," he told her, the girl seeming disappointed that he wouldn't play her game, "The Headmaster should be expecting me," Squall finished and then looked off to the side, seeing a wall full of pictures, which basically showed the entire chain of command within the Galabdian Army, which Galbadia Garden was essentially a part of.

"Yes Mr. Leonhart, go ahead in. Your party is waiting." the girl told him with a small smirk. Squall barely nodded and made his way into the office.

Martine's office was very similar to Cid's office back in Balamb, but like everything else at Galabadia, was much larger and lavish. There was a royal oak desk with gold trim, and behind the desk was a massive window, although there was much took look at aside from the barren desert and the mountain range a few miles in the distance. There were a few statues, a fireplace and some pictures and awards from Martine's time in the Galbadian Navy. In the very back of the room was a cigar area with four plush red leather chairs and small platinum ash pit.

Quistis, Zell and Selphie were already there, standing by the door at attention. They eased up a bit once seeing it was only Squall, but no one really said a word. They just nodded to Squall and Zell and Selphie playfully nudged each other. Squall stood beside Quistis, who after a moment, began her usual routine with Squall?

"Feeling better?" she asked, staring straight forward, obviously referring to his reaction the day before.

"Fine," Squall replied, hoping there wouldn't be a follow up, but he knew Quistis better than that. She quickly glanced over to Squall, and then leaned towards him a bit and whispered.

"You know it's alright to mourn, Squall," she told him, caringly, "You don't have to go through this alone."

Squall had wondered if she had heard about his incident in the gym from the previous evening, but even if she had, it didn't matter. Squall was used to Quistis' overbearing nature, but knew she meant the best, even if it was unremittingly irritating. Squall, as usual, didn't reply. And Quistis' _as usual_, wasn't surprised.

The mechanical door to the office slid open, and Martine finally arrived in full uniform, with a bit of a rushed and uneasy expression on his face. The SeeD's all shot to attention and gave the SeeD salute. Martine returned the gesture and then quickly began.

"Please, stand at ease," he told them as he dropped his salute, and the SeeD's followed suit. After looking over the group, he furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Where is the fifth member of your party?" Martine asked.

"She is not a SeeD. She is a client we escorted out of Timber," Squall informed him, to which Martine just nodded and shrugged. Martine then took a deep breath and began pacing back and forth in front of the group as he continued.

"I wish your visit could be under better circumstances, but we have important matters to discuss." he informed them, "I have spoken to your Headmaster, and he has informed me that Balamb Garden completely backs our decision to use to you in this mission," Martine finished, taking the SeeD's off guard.

"Wait?" Quistis replied, trying to make sense of it, "This is about a mission?" she asked. All four looked on in bewilderment, waiting for clarification.

"As I'm sure you are well aware, Galbadian President, Vinzer Deling, has appointed an... unidentified sorceress as his 'ambassador' of peace.", Martine began, but all four SeeD's got the vibe that he was withholding something from them, "This is merely a cover up. There will be no talks, just threats as usual. With a sorceress, threats may become real, and a horrific display of power is not out of question. The sorceress will create fear among nations, therefore peace talks are impossible."

Squall was familiar with sorceresses from his studies, especially Adel who ruled over Esthar before he was born, and knew that Deling was likely planning something similar. What Squall didn't understand is where this sorceress came from, or why she wasn't dealt with sooner. He had a hard time believing that no one knew of her existence before she was introduced by Deling in Timber, and if the tyrant leader of Galbadia was foolish enough to believe a sorceress, if anything like Adel, would share power with him.

"It is no doubt that Deling's goal is nothing short of world domination. Our Garden's are no exception. We are hearing rumblings that the sorceress intends to make this Garden her base of operations. Chances are, Balamb and Trabia Garden are next on the list," Martine continued to explain, anger mounting in his voice, "However, I will not allow myself, Galbadia Garden or its allies to be governed by fear. We have very few options available to us, but we have no choice," he demanded in a determined tone. With the small pause, Zell decided to ask what everyone else was thinking.

"So where does SeeD come in?"

"I'm getting to that," Martine replied, seeming a bit annoyed by Zell's impatience, "You will be traveling to Deling City, the capital of this great nation, where you will meet up with my contact….a high ranking member of the Galbadian Army. There you will be fully briefed on what is expected of you," he told them and stopped again, appearing to be done.

Squall was getting tired of the obscurity of mission details. First, they were thrown into Timber with very little to go on, and now it seemed as if they were once again being led on a wild chocobo chase. Martine was clearly beating around the bush, and cleverly choosing his phrasing, but it wasn't fooling any of the SeeD's.

"Can you at least tell us what the objective is?" Squall asked, which appeared to make Martine shift uneasily in his stance. He turned and began walking towards his desk, and he began to answer Squall's question.

"Let's just say, this is not an ordinary mission," Martine answered, strolling back by the window and looking into the distance, "There is parade scheduled for Tuesday evening to celebrate the appointment of the sorceress. We feel that this may be our best chance to make our move.." he elaborated, but then again abruptly stopped.

Squall could only make out the side of Martine's face, but could still see the troubled expression in the outlines. Martine's obvious reluctance to tell the group the details of the mission were a dead giveaway that something wasn't right. Most mission briefings were fairly straightforward with little ambiguity. Even the mission brief for the Timber excursion was simple, even if details were scarce, but in this case, there was something else going on.

The group waited intolerantly for Martine to finish his thought, but the man seemed to be at war with himself whether to tell them or not. The only thing the SeeD's could do is wander what was so secretive and what the point was of not just coming out and telling them.

They didn't have to wander too long though, as Headmaster Martine finally finished his thought, and brought an abundance of clarity to why Martine was being so indirect.

"To eliminate the sorceress.." he finished, not even looking back at the SeeD's as if to avoid their reactions.

At first, the group legitimately thought they misheard. In their minds, there was no way that Balamb would sanction or approve of such a mission, and no way Galbadia would be willing to trust such a task to an inexperienced group of teenage SeeD's. Galbadia Garden was technically part of the G-Army, so it seemed unlikely they would be acting on their own. And if the G-Army was involved, why not just enlist the aid of highly trained Galbadia soldiers who had much more experience in the field?

_They misheard...they had to._

But when Martine didnt go beyond that, the reality set in. _This was real._ Shock replaced their denial. _How could this be? Were they crazy?_ Going up against Deling was stupid enough, but now to try to take out a sorceress who he appointed? It made no sense at all from any viewpoint. As the group stood there in silence for nearly a minute, the first reaction came from the usual suspect.

"Are you fuckin kidding me!" Zell busted out, most of the group too shocked to even react to his vulgarity.

"Zell," Squall quietly pulled him back, but for once, he couldn't blame Zell. The reaction was justified, and just a more ostentatious and vulgar method of expressing what everyone was thinking.

Finally, Martine pulled himself away from the back window and addressed the group directly again.

"I understand your skepticism, but this needs to be done, for the sake of Galbadia and the world," he insisted, but wasn't gaining any ground in terms of convincing them, "Deling rules this country with enough fear. With the sorceress, he could be unstoppable," he finished.

Martine was probably right, but that didn't explain why they were being chosen for such a mission, nor did it dismiss the fact that the feat would probably be damn near impossible to accomplish.

"This is suicide," Quistis spoke up. She wasn't one to usually question orders, but she had to in this case, "Galbadian military and presidential security is going to be everywhere, and even if we do manage to get past them, how are we supposed to take down the sorceress?" she confusingly asked.

"This is a covert operation. If any involved parties are captured or discovered, it would be catastrophic to everyone involved," he told them, stating what they perceived to be blatantly obvious, "The plan is to do this without being detected. Security will obviously be heavy for such an event, but we will have inside help," he finished, but the elucidation didn't put any of the SeeD's qualms to rest.

"How are we supposed to do this undetected? Presidential security isn't going to let either of them out of their sights," Quistis followed up.

"You will be accompanied by an elite sharpshooter from Galbadia Garden. He is the best we got, so I trust you'll make good use of him," Martine replied, somewhat surprising the SeeD's. Martine walked quickly to the intercom on his desk to contact his secretary.

"Trysh, could you send him in?" Martine asked, but got no immediate response, "Trysh?" he asked again, a bit sternly this time. When it was obvious she wasn't going to answer, the Headmaster got frustrated and stormed to the door. As it opened, the SeeD's glanced out onto the hallway, seeing what appearing to be some guy in a light brown duster making out with the headmaster's secretary.

"Damn it Kinneas, get your ass in here!" the headmaster furiously demanded.

Even with that, the young man seemed to be in no rush to comply, and even gave Trysh another peck on the lips before finally putting his hat back on and walking to the room. The door closed behind him and Martine leered at him, obviously not amused with his antics. After his failed attempted to intimidate the young cadet, Martine spoke again.

"Allow me to introduce Cadet Irvine Kinneas. Irvine is an expert marksman, and the best we have at Galbadia Garden!" he elaborated, but the young man named Irvine didn't react as the SeeD's looked at him. He was adjusting the gloves on his hand, and had his head down, with the large brim of his black cowboy hat preventing the group from seeing his face. Irvine merely flicked the brim of his hat to give a quick acknowledgment.

Even with that, the SeeD's were not satisfied.

"That's it?" Quistis stated, "No offense Headmaster, but shouldn't we have a more highly trained soldier? Like a G-Army Viper?" she questioned, something Squall had been wandering himself.

"There are very limited Galbadian military personnel we can trust with this information," Martine informed them, which made a little more sense, "And besides, Irvine is a bit of a legend around here, and likely a better sniper than any soldier in our military force. He has been briefed on the situation and is willing to comply to the terms of this mission," he told them as he walked up right next to Irvine and put a hand on his shoulder. Irvine looked over at Martine's hand and then looked Martine right in the face, seemingly not liking the headmaster touching him. The headmaster, after noticing this took his hand off of the cadet's shoulder and nodded to the SeeD's.

"Anyway, I'll let you all get acquainted while your travel itinerary is prepared," he informed them, and waited for a salute, but the group was still too in shock to extend their customary courtesies.

With that, Martine quietly headed for the door. Slowly making his way over, Irvine finally began to move, and looked up as the door slid open and Martine began making his exit. Irvine's hand slowly moved upward, making a low pitched clicking sound as he did so. His right arm was extended towards Martine, with his thumb up in the air and his index finger pointed at the headmaster, He moved his hand around as if he was putting the headmaster in his crosshairs, and just as the door closed...

"BANG!" he blared quite loudly and bended his arm upward, imitating firing a gun with considerable recoil. From the side of his eye, he seemed to notice the four other individuals staring at him, not seeming amused. Irvin blew some air at the tip of his index finger as if it were a smoking barrel of a gun and then lowered it as he turned to the group.

He removed his cowboy hat and finally gave the group a good look at him. He was quite a handsome young man, with shoulder length, messy brown hair. He was wearing a long, beige colored duster which hung down to his knees. He was also wearing pants that were a darker shade of beige than his jacket, and a half unbuttoned, dark blue undershirt. He had a cocky, yet welcoming look in his gleaming blue eyes, which at the moment were glancing over the people in front of him. He walked in front of the group and after giving them a look over, grinned and tipped his head in greeting.

"Well, well, well. Looks like I'm pairin' up with you Balamb rubes for a bit." he stated with what sounded like a western Galbadian accent, "Greetings, I am indeed, the one and only, Irvine Kinneas, sharpshooter extraordinaire!" he cockily introduced himself, and held his arms out openly, as if waiting for an applause. The SeeD's were less than impressed with Irvine's ego and chose not respond to it. This however didn't seem to bother Irvine as he just laughed it off, before Squall finally stepped in.

"I'm Squall Leonhart, leader of this mission." he said and extended a hand. Squall wasn't a fan of initiating contact, but was trying to be professional.

"What's up Skull?" Irvine mispronounced his name and instead of shaking his hand, gave him an obnoxiously hard pat on the arm, "Hey, you don't mind me helpin' ya out, do ya?" Squall became annoyed, and for a moment considered telling him to get lost, be instead brushed off his arm and remained professional.

"Its Squall," he stated sternly and looked right into Irvine's eyes, "And that depends on your attitude."

"Oh, well…sometimes I say things that get a rise outta people. Just don't let it bother ya and we'll get along fine and dandy." he informed Squall, who was less than thrilled with having to babysit another immature cadet, like he had to with Zell at times.

"I'll keep that in mind." he told Irvine, trying to convey a sense of frustration which Irvine did not pick up on. Instead, he noticed Quistis and Selphie staring at him, and mistook their annoyance for affection.

"Well helllllllo, ladies," he greeting them in a suave voice, then looked at Squall, "Scuse me Skull...you seem like a nice guy, but you aren't my type," he joked, and then proceed over to Quistis and Selphie, who rolled their eyes and walked away with the cowboy in hot pursuit.

Squall raised his hand and rubbed the inner corners of his eyes with his thumb and middle finger...which ironically was the finger he wanted to give Irvin at the moment, but never would. Zell walked up right next to Squall as they both watched Irvine attempt to sweet talk Quistis and Selphie. After a moment, Zell looked over at Squall, seeming just as annoyed with Irvine's antics.

"If you wanna kill him, Squall, I'll happily dig the grave," Zell joked.

_Kind of._

* * *

**Saturday, May 6th 4268/World Council - Junon**

**1458 hrs**

Leaders and representatives from around the world had assembled in the Citadel House in Junon, a democratic country, and the primary location of the World Council which was located in the northwestern section of the war ravaged continent of Midgar. There were over six hundred leaders and representatives in attendance from various countries, big and small, around the world.

Within the Citadel House, the leaders filed into the main congress meeting hall, which was a massive room with several sections which inclined upwardly at each level so that everyone in attendance could see the main floor. On each level, there were tables which winded around the room, and had microphones and touch screen monitors built into them for various uses. The main floor below was carpeted dark blue, with a large World Council logo on the floor, which was basically a rendering of the planet, with nine small flags circling around it, representing the nine main continents; Galbadia, Esthar, Trabia, Midgar, Zannarkand, Centra, Mysidia, Atlantica and Wutai.

Most of the seats within the house had been filled, and security walked around the room, making sure everything was safe in secure. Every country had personal security around, so it was quite crowded around the Citadel House, but also quite secure. Representatives talked quietly within the large room, waiting for the mediators to start the session. Right on time, at 1500, the mediators spoke over the microphone, getting the attention of everyone in attendance.

"This emergency session of the World Council will now begin," one elder mediator spoke up, which quieted the room almost instantaneously. After a brief pause, the mediator continued.

"The first, and by far primary matter is in regards to the Republic of Galbadia, and President Vinzer Deling's appointment of a supposed sorceress as an ambassador of peace and goodwill. Many leaders of the World Council feel that this is either a publicity stunt, or that this sorceress will be used as a means of installing fear of Galbadia to the many nations of the world," the mediator spoke, and the leaders and representatives quietly spoke to each other, most of them agreeing with that notion, and some even badmouthing Deling, who always seemed to be up to something to disrupt the natural order of the World Council.

"ORDER," the mediator demanded, quieting the room once more, "Mr. President Deling, if you wouldn't mind stepping to the main podium to address the members of the council, we would appreciate it," the mediator looked off to the side and spoke.

Everyone in attendance watched as Vinzer Deling walked onto the main floor and behind the podium. He was sorting through papers and index cards he had with him. Deling had a way with words and swaying many to side with him, even though he betrayed the trust of the entire council on more than one occasion.

"That was quite the stunt you pulled Vinzer," one of the other mediators spoke as the president of Galbadia finished sorting his cards, and looked up.

"I like to stay unpredictable," Deling replied with a devilish smile. The main mediator rolled his eyes a bit, and addressed the council.

"We will now open the floor to members of this council," he spoke to the room. It seemed like everyone had a question, but the first was blurted out over the loudspeaker by the leader of Najah, a small country in Wutai. The leader spoke in a native language, which was translated to Deling.

"What is this about, President Deling?" the translator asked Deling, "Why have you enlisted a sorceress to your aid?" The question stirred up a bit more commotion, but quickly died down to let the president answer.

"That is a very good question," Deling answered with a smile, which was all too fake, "My fellow leaders of the world, I come before you today asking you to put your differences aside and to dismiss any preconceived notions you have about myself or sorceresses. Despite some claims, this is not a scare tactic. I want what all of you want, and that is peace. I want the people of Galbadia to be able to travel to other nations without fear of being arrested or persecuted, and I wish for people of the world to discover the great nation of Galbadia, and feel safe and welcomed," Deling spoke in a jovial voice, trying to promote something he never truly practiced.

"I see great potential for peace in this world, but it is impossible to find lasting peace unless some of us are willing to make some compromises." Deling spoke. His entire speech came across to most members as convoluted and phony. A leader who truly wanted peace would never do the things Deling regularly did, and everyone in attendance knew that. Not wanting to hear any more of Deling's obviously fake ramblings, one leader interrupted him.

"Save the speech, Deling," the voice stated, making Deling look up to the left in the second row of seating. where he saw the leader of Pompeaodor, Midgar by the name of Ovie Mikulachick, and a very outspoken person at that. Not many spoke out against Vinzer Deling in fear of reprisal, but he wasn't afraid to. He was a former general in the Midgar army, and seemed to have fond memories of Galbadia before Deling.

"My mother, was a Galbadian. She was from Emerald City, and lived there when peace thrived and Galbadia was looked at as a beacon of peace and opportunity," Mikulachick stated to members of the council, seeming determined and noticeably bothered, "But then this…monster, came along and destroyed it all. His quest for power has destroyed once prominent Galbadian nations such as Dollet and Zaldahar. And now, he is trying to convince all of us that he suddenly wants peace?" the Pompeaodor leader spoke, pointing at Deling, who leered maliciously at him from the podium.

"See beyond his lie. His thirst for power will never be quenched. He doesn't want peace talks…he just wants people to listen to him, and follow him, and obey him. If we give into him now, we are signing our children and their futures over to him and that…witch!" Mikulachick demanded loudly, causing much commotion and even had many in attendance cheering at the Midgarian leaders directness.

"If everyone would just take a deep breath…" Deling spoke rationally even though he was boiling inside, but his request went ignored.

"He is right," a female representative of another small Midgar country spoke up, "Since when has Vinzer Deling ever wanted to talk peace? He attacked several of our nations unprovoked, for nothing more than simple embargos and tarffs. We stood idly by while he took a stranglehold over Galabadia and we watch as it crumbled under his grasp. Are we now going to let him do the same to us?" she spoke with the same tenacity, again causing a large stir of banter within the room.

"Please, hear me out," again Deling tried to calm the room, but just seem to make it louder as he spoke, "I have.." he began again, but was interrupted.

The source of interruption this time however did not come from anyone on the World Council, but rather the flickering of the lights within the room. For a moment, the sputtering was light, but became more intense, along with a buzzing and crackling noise that seemed to be coming from the speakers.

After a minute, the lights went completely out, causing everyone in the room to talk loudly, mainly out of confusion and annoyance. The lights however did not stay off long, as they turned back on to full brightness momentarily. The respawned light gave members in attendance a shocking look at a new entrant, who was standing in the middle of the main floor on top of the World Council logo. She stood there in her sleek black dress looking around the room at the members of the council, whose mouths were agape with shock. Even Deling seemed surprised that his new 'ambassador of peace' had shown up so unexpectedly. She took a few steps forward, and began to speak, with her voice sounding out loudly throughout the room without the aid of the loudspeakers.

"Hear me now foolish miscreants…" she told the members of the council, scornfully, "The reason you still breathe Hyne's air is because I allow you to. You know nothing of which you speak. You believe the choice is yours to make, but I shall make it clear," she spoke manically, with her sinister voice alone scaring many in attendance.

"We seek to create a new world order…not one governed by fear or chaos, but one of certainty and order. A world which is one and united, that is ruled by one supreme leader under common laws, not hundreds of nations ruled by simpletons such as yourselves," she stated once again insulting the entire room. At first no one spoke, seemingly afraid to say anything. They looked on in terror as many skeptics in the room finally began to believe she was a sorceress, and thus did not want to aggravate her.

Once again, the very outspoken Ovie Mikulachick stood up and made his voice heard.

"I told you!" he shouted and pointed at the sorceress, as those that weren't scared stiff looked over to him, "Deling and this witch are not looking for peace…they are looking for people to cower before them," he insisted and the sorceress swung around quickly to address the accusation.

"And you shall!" she demanded, as the lights flickered intensely again, scaring many even further, but Mikulachick seemed unphased, "I grow tired of the needless banter. The time will come in the near future where you need to decide…" she told the council as she slowly walked in a circle, addressing everyone in attendance, "Decide if you want to live in our new world, or die in this one. That choice will be up to you, but the choice about the new world has already been decided. You have no voices in the matter. There is only one voice that matters, and you are hearing it right now," she told them chillingly, and many in the room actually seemed to believe her. Many had seen what happened when the last sorceress took control, and those haunting memories seemed to resurface with her claims.

"I've had enough of this," Mikulachick once again demanded, and stormed down from his seat, and looked directly into the eyes of the sorceress,. After a long glare, he turned to the crowd, who seemed to be stunned that he was taking such action.

"If you all want to sit here and listen to the demented ramblings of this…freak…then that's up to you," he demanded to them and then turned back to the sorceress, who just glared evilly at him. "Look at her, I doubt she even has any real powers," he mocked her, and began to turn to leave, but was redirected back to her almost instantly.

"Oh ye of little faith," she spoke and he turned, not impressed at all. She turned away from him and began walking back towards the podium where Deling stood, "If it is a demonstration you require…" she began as she stood motionlessly by the podium for a moment, with her temporary inaction actually scare many of those in attendance even more. The Midgar leader stepped forward, still not intimidated, but it was a mistake he would never have the chance to make again.

"Then I shall give you one!" she shouted in an echoing demonic tone and spun around, casting her hand forward.

Members of the World Council watched in horror as the Mikulachick began to sickeningly choke, and his body was lifted into the air so everyone could see. The lights once again flickered heavily and gusts of wind circled the room as papers flew everywhere. Most members of the council dove beneath their desks. but still peeked over to observe what was happening.

Suddenly, gunshots rang out as many screamed...the chaos blanketing the room in a sweeping wave of terror and pandemonium. The sorceress watched as four security officers in the room rushed her, but as they drew within a few steps, each officer was suddenly reduced to pile of ash, which was then toseed around by the gusts in the room. Even more members of the council were in an entranced state of crippliing, fear-induced shock, some even losing control of their bodily functions.

It sounded as if more members of security were trying to break into the room, but a magical forced kept anyone from coming or going at the moment. The sorceress redirected her attention, who was still hanging high in the air, and then spoke to the terrified members of World Council, her voice easily audible over the commotion and gusts of wind sweeping the room.

"This is only a fraction of the power I possess," she said loudly and looked back up, waving her arm. The devastating fear only grew as the World Council watched Mikulachick's body catch on fire in midair, with his horrifying screams echoing throughout the room. The cries and screams of the members of the World Council were music to the sorceresses ears.

"Think of not only your lives, but the lives of those you cherish most in this world. It does not have to be this way, but it will if you oppose us…for you and those closest to you." she told them, as her captives screams died off, and Mikulachick's burning carcass floated in the air, as a symbol of her power, and the devastation she had convinced everyone she could bring them if they opposed her.

Suddenly the lights went out, and the sorceress voice spoke out one last time.

"The choice is yours," she told them as her voice faded.

As the lights came back on, the gusts of wind stopped and the commotion died down. Among the silence were many cries and heavy breathing, as most were still too scared to come out from hiding. Those that did noticed that the sorceress had completely vanished along with Vinzer Deling.

All that was left in her wake was thousands of scattered papers, a burning corpse, and a six hundred people in agonizing fear.

* * *

**Okay...so, another chapter down.**

Only two more to go on disc 1, which as I stated, I will definitely finish.

Beyond that, Im still not sure. School starts back up on the 27th of August, and I hope to have disc one done by then. After that, it just depends how I feel. If I dont see much interest, I will likely end the story once and for all. Not that I dont want to finish it, but there seems to be fleeting interest in Final Fantasy 8, and while I like wrting for the fun of it, I dont want to waste time if others arent getting use of it.

Anyway...next chapter...again, hopefully next weekend. 7-10 days probably barring unforeseen events.


	26. Chapter XXI:The Path of Least Resistance

_"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear," _

**-Mark Twain****  
**

**Chapter XXI**

_**The Path of Least Resistance**_

**Sunday, May 7th 4268/Galbadia Garden Transport Vehicle**

**0807 hrs**

Squall rolled his eyes and clenched his teeth in frustration as the papers fell off the seat and onto the dirty steel floor of the armored vehicle...again. The Galbadia Garden transport was taking them to the Lexington Line Train Station in East Academy, and that meant traveling back over the rough terrain of the rocky, hilly plains and through the thick forest that lied between Yaulny Canyon en route to their destination.

He had been looking over files for the hour they had been driving, but kept getting interrupted as the vehicle shook and bounced around, causing papers to slide around and his patience to fly out the proverbial window. The only saving grace was he didn't have to ride with Zell, who likely would've just bothered him to see his gunblade or talked about how hungry he was. While Zell, Selphie and Irvine rode in a separate transport, Squall shared a transport with Quistis and Rinoa. Quistis was quiet for the most part aside from when the transport hit a huge bump, causing her to spill her coffee, when a rare, but amusing expletive escaped her mouth. Rinoa was tired, sitting next to Quistis across from Squall, and sleeping most of the way, aside from when the terrain gave her a bumpy wake up call, but she continued to doze back off.

Squall picked the papers up off the floor again and threw them back in the folder and closed it. Him and the rest of the team reviewed the information the night before for three long hours, although it only really took one. The other two hours were spent trying to make sense of all of it, but those two hours were wasted as they just came up with more questions than answers.

The information they did have aside from _'Eliminate the sorceress,'_ was extremely limited and vague. _All of their belongings and weapons were going to be transported to Deling City separately, and they were told not to carry any type of personal belongings or effects on them, and to wear old clothes that didn't draw any attention. _ The only one that stipulation really effected was Zell, and possibly Irvine.

Squall sat there, staring ahead at nothing in particular. There were no windows and only dim lighting in the back of the transport, which made it difficult not to get a little lethargic. As his eyes started to flutter a bit, he noticed Quistis looking at him. She too had grown tired of trying to review the material and instead focused her attention on Squall. This wasn't new, but it wasn't the same look she usually gave him. Usually, when her eyes gazed upon him, they were longing for his attention or studying him. In this case, they looked frustrated and confused.

"Yes?" Squall asked, eyes closed. He didn't usually respond to her peculiar stares, but he figured it had something to do with the mission.

"Can we really go through with this?" Quistis inquired, but there was no real answer.

"Do we have a choice?" Squall answered the question with yet another question. Quistis leaned forward as far as she could with her seatbelt fastened, which was only a few inches really.

"Squall...I know Headmaster Kramer. There is absolutely no way he would authorize this," Quistis assured him, trying to be quiet to the driver and passenger cadet didn't hear, "You saw Headmaster Martine. He was keeping something from us...something big.." she whispered.

"Until we can get in contact with Balamb Garden, we don't have many options," he told her, opting to keep his eyes closed. He could hear the different emotions in her voice, so he didn't need to see it on her face.

"So you're just going to blindly follow an order you have serious questions about?" she firmly questioned. Squall took a deep breath and again replied.

"It's not like Garden hasn't deployed SeeD's to assist in assassination attempts before," he told her, but she started to answer almost before he even finished his sentence.

"..Of crooked leaders and tyrants of small countries who didn't have extensive means to retaliate against Garden," she added to his comment, "Not a sorceress with the backing of the largest military force on the planet," she finished and then rested back in her seat with her arms crossed.

Squall knew she was upset and confused, and justifiably so, but they had discussed it all for hours the night before and came up with no answers, so he didn't know what she wanted him to say to ease her mind, not that he would ever do that. Squall finally opened his eyes again and looked right at her.

"What do you want to do, Quistis? Refuse the order?" he asked, and continued before she could answer, "Galbadia Garden and the G-Army know we are involved in this, and they ALSO know we are the group from the Timber incident. Even if they are only using us, this is likely the only thing keeping us from being arrested by the G-Army and tried for our involvement," he told her. It was a point that Squall had been meaning to raise, but didn't want to put everyone on edge, although they all should've figured it out.

Again, Squall closed his eyes, "I don't like it any more than you do, but at this point, we have no choice but to comply," he told her.

For a moment, there was only silence as Quistis pondered what Squall had just said. She had considered the possibility, but figured that Martine would never just hand them over..._or would he? Was this the only reason Galbadia Garden didn't hand them right over to the G-Army for the Timber mishap? _ There was no definite answer, but it didn't matter, because in the end, they were basically stuck no matter what.

"I just have a feeling that if we go through with this..." Quistis said, and then sighed heavily before continuing, "Something terrible is going to happen."

With that, there was only silence, which lasted the remainder of the trip.

* * *

**Sunday, May 7th 4268/Balamb Garden - Basement Level 4/Secret Area**

**0949 hrs**

The Garden Faculty member walked through basement level 4 of Balamb Garden, in an area that few others had ever walked, or even knew about. It was an area that most on the upper levels of Garden didn't even know existed, aside from the Headmaster, nine or ten higher ranking SeeD's and Dr. Kadowaki. It was off limits because it housed several secrets within Garden, including some that not even the Headmaster was aware of.

The robed faculty member walked though the very long, narrow corridor, as lights turned on only along the sections where the faculty member walked. Upon reaching the very end, the faculty member pressed his hand up against the hand scanner. After a quick hand and fingerprint analysis, the door slid open and the faculty member walked in as the door slid quickly shut behind him.

The room was dark...pitch black to be precise. The faculty member knew the room well enough that he didn't need light to know where he was at, and walked to the middle of the room and stood still. Suddenly, a circular panel lit up beneath him, radiating with a pale yellow light which gave a view of the faculty member, but not much else within the room. Right in front of him, a very large screen lit up with a spinning SeeD logo on it. Momentarily, the screen gave view of an office and a desk, but no one was there at first. Seconds later, the Commander of SeeD, Jeseph Brak, sat down in the chair behind the desk and in front of the view of the camera, looking annoyed.

"What is it? I'm busy," he inquired while looking down at some papers on his desk, not even glancing into the camera.

"I have a few pieces of information I thought you might want," the faculty member informed him, "Cid withheld the information from us regarding Operation Nightfall," he stated, and the Commander nodded, again not looking into the camera.

"As expected...not that it really matters," he replied, and then finally looked up, "Did you take care of our other issue?" he asked, finally seeming somewhat interested in the conversation.

"Yes," the faculty member nodded, "All incoming digital communications from Galbadian territories are being blocked from the upper levels of Balamb Garden, and all landline and cable communications are being filtered through us as well," he explained to the commander, who nodded in approval.

"Well then," he stated, leaning forward on his desk, "It appears that we can just sit back and enjoy the show for now. After Operation Nightfall is complete, we will move on to Operation Daybreak," he informed the faculty member.

"And have you considered the possibility that Operation Nightfall might fail?" the faculty member asked the commander, who squinted in frustration as he did not like to have his plans questioned.

"Of course," he replied in a tone like the faculty member should have known better, "But we will cross that bridge if and when we come to it. Just rest assured that Operation Nightfall will be a success, whether the sorceress is killed or not," he assured the faculty member, who paused briefly, then nodded.

"Very well," the robed faculty member stated, "Good day Commander," he finished, and seconds later, the monitor shut down, the circular panel of light beneath him faded and the room was once again pitch black.

* * *

**Sunday, May 7th 4268/Lexington Line to Deling City**

**1207 hrs**

Three hours had passed since the train left the Lexington Line train station in East Academy, and they still had another three or four hours ahead of them before they reached the outer borough of Deling City. The group of SeeDs needed to remain inconspicuous, and as isolated from people as possible. The outer borough of Kingston was once a thriving, industrial district within the Deling City limits, but over twenty years under the reign of Deling, it had become nothing but a haven for the poor, and a cesspool for the petty criminals and drug dealers within the city.

Squall was in cabin four with Quisits, Zell and Selphie. The SeeD's were not able to reveal their identities, and thus could not use the SeeD's cabin, and the cabin they were currently in was part of the coach class, which weren't nearly as spacious. Fortunately, there was no one else on the train that day except an elderly couple in first class, which gave the SeeD's free reign of the coach section of the locomotive.

Squall sat on the bottom bunk bed, leaning his cheeks and chin into his hands in boredom. The SeeD's weren't allowed to bring any personal affects, or Squall would've worked on fixing the trigger problem on his gunblade, which kept jamming. Quistis and Selphie were sitting at the desk, fiddling with a train phone and cheap laptop they had rented from Lexington Line. They were trying to contact Balamb Garden regarding them mission, but in three hours they had gotten absolutely nowhere...just and endless stream of denied access messages to Balamb's networks.

Zell had been unusually quiet, and he lied on the top bunk, tossing a tennis ball he found in the desk drawer into the air and catching it. He had been doing that almost the entire time, and it concerned Squall a bit. As much as he enjoyed the break from Zell's rambling. Zell had seemed a bit different since hearing about Seifer. No drastic changes, but he wandered if there was something deeper. Zell usually wasn't one to conceal his true feelings or emotions, but it seemed he may have been doing that now.

Looking around the room, he noticed that Irvine and Rinoa were mysteriously absent, but didn't think much of it at the moment. He was just getting tired of thinking. Throughout his years at Garden, Squall always found something to keep his mind and body occupied, to avoid the annoying thoughts and feelings that would creep up on his in prolonged periods of inactivity.

Fortunately, something pulled Squall away from his thoughts before he could delve any deeper.

"I think I got something, " Selphie stated, causing Squall to look up, "I'm getting a signal," she finished and Squall stood up and walked over towards the desk, leaning forward with his hands against the back of Selphie's chair and the desk. Zell didn't' seem to really care, since he didn't understand much about networking and communications.

"That's odd," Selphie said after a moment of typing in various codes within the command prompt.

Squall looked at the screen closer, and noticed several green texted messages saying the server she was trying to connect to was unavailable. Squall wasn't an expert in the field, but had taken enough classes to understand what the problem likely was.

"Not really," he stated and stood straight up, "We may be getting signals on our end, but Balamb may still be having trouble," he told them, and then took a deep breath. He didn't expect to be able to connect on the train anyway, seeing also how service on the trains was always bad due to the speed of the train and power lines that often interrupted service, but it was still annoying they couldn't establish contact with Garden.

Still, after a moment, Selphie shook her head, seeming very puzzled.

"It would be one thing if the problem was with the entire island, but I'm picking up on multiple signals from Balamb City and even the Rinauld Coast Beach Resort," she told Squall, who squinted and walked back over and looked at the screen as Selphie pulled up a new window.

"Watch...when I ping the Balamb City Police Department server, the nodes begin to exchange continuous information," she told his, and he saw that there was indeed a connection, "But when I ping Garden's proxy, not a single bit of incoming or outgoing packets are exchanged," she continued, again showing Squall the difference between Balamb Garden and Balamb City's servers.

"What's even stranger is that there still seems to be synchronous transmission of data packets being exchanged between Balamb City and Garden," she stated. Squall crossed his arms and continued looking on as Selphie explained in technical jargon only hardcore techies would understand. After she finished, Squall paused to think about what she said, but couldn't make sense of it.

"Is there any way to put that in terms we can understand?" he asked, and Quistis smirked in agreement.

"Basically...it seems like digital frequencies in this area are being blocked from Balamb Garden," Selphie notified them which only confused them even more. Still, they understood it could be any number of issues, especially with the signal interference courtesy of the G-Army.

"Is there any way around this?" Quistis asked, and Selphie just slouched in her chair a bit, obviously getting annoyed. Squall appreciated her patience, as he wouldve probably through the computer across the room within five minutes.

"Only way would be to steal and replace packets between Garden the Balamb City, but I don't have the equipment or software here to crack the encryption keys," she informed them, and that was pretty much that. The rented laptop was for casual use like basic internet browsing and playing stupid games like solitaire, but Selphie had done a great job of getting so much out of so little.

"Damn it," Quistis stated dejectedly, and she slowly walked towards the back of the room as she took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes.

"There is no use dwelling on it," Squall told them both, "We'll try again in Deling City, until then..." he continue but was interrupted as the cabin door opened.

Rinoa stormed in, obviously aggravated based on the grunting noises she was making and the expression on her face, which even to Squall was easy to decipher. A few feet behind her followed Irvine, who was wearing a white button down shirt with his hair pulled back into a ponytail. He had a playful smile on his face as he followed behind the visibly annoyed young lady.

"Come on Rinoa..." he stated in a playfully saddened voice, "Its destiny, babe," he told her as his tone cheered up.

"What's going on?" Quistis asked as Rinoa walked up to the group.

"Lover boy here just tried to plant one on me," she pointed at Irvine, who smirked and shrugged. The group looked on at Irvine, all getting annoyed with his promiscuous agendas. For the first time in three hours, Zell acted like Zell, hopped down off the bunk and leered angrily at Irvine.

"You fucking prick!" Zell shouted, pointing at him. Irvine chuckled and waved his gloved hand.

"Yeah, yeah," he stated, not taking the hotheads temper too seriously.

"Irvine Kinneas! You are playing a crucial role in this mission! This is no time to be flirting with everyone...behave yourself!" Quistis demanded as she walked within a foot of the cowboy, who innocently shrugged,

"I'm just havin' a little fun, take it easy." he told them, acting as if it were a big joke.

Upon hearing this, Squall suddenly felt a surge of anger flow through him. Not just because Irvine seemingly couldn't keep it in his pants, but everything. The vagueness regarding the mission, the inability to contact Balamb Garden to confirm their orders, the constant run around they were getting from everyone. And to top it all off, now he had to deal with someone who was playing possibly the most vital role in a mission which would likely reshape all of their futures, and he wasn't even focused on his primary objective, which at the moment seemed to be getting laid.

_Squall had enough._

He heatedly darted forward, tearing a white plastic button of Irvine's shirt as he grabbed a handful of his white button down, and began pushing him forcefully towards the back of the room. Everyone was caught off guard, especially Irvine, who tried to resist, but between Squall simply being stronger in addition to Quezacotl's added power, Irvine couldn't do anything except trot backwards as Squall pushed him.

Upon reaching the doorway, Squall shoved Irvine out of the room and his shoulders lightly slammed against the windows behind him in the hallway, Squall seeing the group look on in astonishment of his reaction as he slammed the door behind him. Squall turned to Irvine, who looked mad, but also a bit concerned.

"I told you before about your damn attitude!" Squall stated as he got into Irvine's face, speaking sternly but softly, "This isn't a fucking joke, so if you can't take this seriously, go back to Garden! " he demanded, trying to be as quiet as possible so not to alert the train security, however lax it was.

Irvine, after the initial shock subsided, pushed Squall back a bit and got right back into his face.

"You think I'm not serious about this!?" Irvine demandingly shouted with widened eyes, trying to convey his own mounted anger the way Squall had done with his. Upon noticing that Squall wasn't going to back down at all, Irvine took a step back, and relaxed his intense expression.

Squall continued staring at him with the same provoked look in his light blue eyes, and waited for Irvine to explain himself or somehow prove to him that he was indeed the asset they were promised back at Galbadia Garden. Even though Irvine had a skill none of them possessed, the fact was it didn't mean much to them if he was going to be more of a distraction and burden than anything else. Squall knew he could control the likes of Zell, but he didn't know Irvine well enough that he could say the same of him.

Surprisingly, a small smirk crept onto Irvine's face, but his eyes seemed filled with disenchantment and woe. He turned towards the window, leaning his forehead against it, seeing pretty much only calm ocean waters in the distance as the train traveled along the western outskirts of the Galbadia continent. He closed his eyes, recollecting what just happened. As much as he hated admitting being wrong, he knew he was, but sometimes couldn't help himself, and felt Squall needed to understand that.

Suddenly, in a calm, yet dismayed voice, Irvine began to speak to Squall, but not about what Squall was expecting.

"My foster daddy used to take me out to our barn and make me assemble and disassemble hundreds of different types of firearms, and then take me to the firing range and make me fire every single bullet before we went back home," he told Squall, as the sadness in his voice gradually changed to anger. "First time he did this I was nine years old, and it took me damn near three weeks. By the time I was fourteen I was able to do that within two days...but a few days later, every Hyne damn gun in that barn was disassembled, and I had to do it all over again. When most kids were learnin' math, writing and playing dodgeball, I was being homeschooled on speed and trajectories of various firearms and ammunition, how to identify a gun just by the sound of the blast, and how to hit a target without even seein' it," Irvine stated, seeming as if the those memories he was sharing were more bothersome than pleasant.

Squall was confused, but allowed Irvine to continue, interested in where the story was going.

"A year before he died, he took me to the Diamond Head mountains in Trabia. I thought it was for a vacation, since he always told me about the big game catches he had up there.. but I was dead wrong," Irvine continued, the frustration mounting even more as he spoke of that instance, "He told me we were goin' huntin' one day, so we packed up and made our way to a peak that overlooked the Wesker snowfield and forest. He handed me a sniper rifle and told me I wasn't allowed to leave until killed a Winter Dove from the forest and returned it to him. Winter Dove's were extremely rare in that area and the dang things never flew in packs," he elaborated and paused. His breathing became heavier and he twisted his forehead against the pressed window. After a moment, he continued on.

"I was there for three and half months, in sometimes sub-zero temperatures, waiting...and waiting...and waiting...with the only human contact being once a fucking week when that bastard would bring me food, firewood and supplies. I cried every single night after the first week. I hated him, and several times considered just shooting him and being done with his bullshit," he told Squall, with the resentment towards his foster father apparent in his voice.

Still, while it was interesting to get some insight into the young man, Squall had no idea why he was telling him this, or what it had to do with anything.

"Is there a point you're trying to make here?" Squall asked, sounding bored, and bit agitated. Irvine glanced at Squall from the corner of his eye, finding humor in Squall's indifference. Still, he decided to indulge him.

" I was raised in captivity for six years, with my only friends being barnyard animals and hundreds of guns. The old man used to preach _'Sharpshooters are loners by nature.'_. Asshole never wanted a son...he wanted a project, and that's all I ever was to him," Irvine said, finally turning from the window and resting his back against it as he looked down at the ground. He knew his point hadn't hit its mark yet, so decided to give Squall exactly what he wanted.

"My point is, is that you'll never understand what it's like. To be _that_ alone. Maybe I'm just making up for lost time, or maybe I'm just nutcase because I was a lonely little kid all those years with little outside contact.." he murmured softly, but clear enough for Squall to hear, and then paused. He clearly didn't like to talk about it, and even though Squall had no real sympathy, he could see that the young man was at least being sincere.

"But if you wander why I am the way I am...why I look for some type of affection everywhere I turn...now you know," he told Squall as he gave him a quick look, and pushed himself off the window, walking towards the other cabin the SeeD's had rented, which at the moment was empty. Squall watched as Irvine opened the door, and just before he entered, looked back.

"I won't bother the ladies no more, but just do me a favor and leave me the fuck alone for the rest of the trip. Ya catch my drift?" he requested to Squall verbally, and his eyes insisted Squall honored that request, before he walked in, and let the door close softly behind him.

Still, while Squall understood what Irvine was going through more than Irvine realized, he didn't feel that excused his behavior. It may have explained where he was coming from, but Squall knew what it was like to grow up feeling alone. But it also occurred to Squall that while he always felt alone, he was never truly isolated in the way Irvine described his childhood. Squall was always around other people, even if he avoided any type of emotional attachment to those people.

If Irvine was indeed telling the truth, it seemed as if him and Squall had alot in common, except for one major difference.

Irvine grew up in isolation, but seemingly yearned for human affection.

Squall grew up with alot of people around him, but chose to isolate himself.

_If our situations were reversed...would I be different, or would I embrace that isolation?_

Squall didn't know the answer, and never would or could know, but for a single moment, he allowed himself to empathize with Irvine, before he made his way back inside the cabin with the rest of his party.

* * *

**Sunday, May 7th 4268/Galbadia - Fort Eagle Army Base - R&D Sector**

**1437 hrs**

In the eastern Galbadian nation of Terringard lied the Fort Eagle Military Base. While being one of the smaller military bases in Galbadia, it was one of the most secure, since many of the G-Army's top military projects and experiments were done there, many of which were illegal due to many treaties instituted by the World Council. Every country secretly violated this treaty in one way or another, but Deling and Galbadia pissed all over it, whether it was by utilizing black market weapons and technology or developing weapons of mass destruction. Most included nuclear and atomic weapons, but most recently extended into unleashing an evil sorceress into the world

Hundreds of top Galbadian scientists were hard at work at separate sectors of the base, working on various military funded projects. Dr. Franois Ricopula was currently the top active scientist, and was one of the chief operators in the sorceresses transformation. He had managed to manipulate Edea Kramer's brain waves utilizing radiation and alpha-metro impulses in such a way that all of the horrible thoughts and evils within her mind were brought to the surface. But this proved to be an unfruitful task, so they had to manipulate her thoughts within her hippocampus using special equipment which almost killed her, but ultimately, the procedure was successful, and turned a kind woman who would never hurt anyone into a demented sorceress, hell-bent on world domination and eradicating all oppressors.

The procedure seemed to be successful until that point, but an impromptu visit from the president himself, Vinzer Deling, was going to shed light on new issues.

The security doors to the Research and Development level opened, catching Dr. Ricopula's attention as he observed an experiment of a prototype weapon that was in development. Turning around he watched as three men in black suits walked inside, surveying the area to make sure it was secure.

Confused, Dr. Ricopula approached them, "Can I help you gentleman with something?" he asked politely. They didn't answer, but a voice from behind them did.

"Dr. Ricopula..." the voice stated, which the doctor immediately recognized, "So nice to see you again," the voice said, and Ricopula turned to the doorway, seeing that President Vinzer Deling was indeed there in the flesh. Deling rarely stepped foot on the Fort Eagle base, so his presence there was obviously of the utmost importance.

"Mr. President, " the doctor said, trying to sound happy as his voice shook, "What a pleasant surprise.." he stated as he began to approach Deling.

Suddenly, the doctor noticed one of the president agents next to him, and as soon as Deling nodded, the agent swiftly drove a foot into the doctors kneecap, and the doctor felt as his knee snapped like a twig. He fell to his one good knee, screaming in a world of pain, but was caught by the agent, and placed in a choke hold, just as the president strolled casually up to him.

"W..what is this!?" Dr. Ricopula cried out, as other scientists and labworkers looked on in fear, before the agents demanded they continued to work. After the small distraction, Deling leaned over a bit to speak to the injured doctor.

"I'm sure you are aware of my policies regarding failures, Dr. Ricopula," Deling said in his calm, yet always menacing voice, "If not, perhaps we should ask your former colleagues, Dr. Spangler and Dr. Stanz. OH, that's right, they're dead. How tragic.." Deling stated, knowing good and well that the doctor knew exactly what happened to them.

"H...how how have I f-f-failed you M-meh-Mr. President?" Ricopula's voice trembled in sheer terror, seeing how that terror was amusing to the ruthless man before him. Deling stood straight up and slowly turned and took a few steps back.

"Your creation. Your fucking...ABONIATION, is out of control!" he stated in a loud tone, "You and your team ensured me that the she wouldn't take any action unless it was under my FUCKING direction!" he finished, turning back to the doctor, waiting for an answer. The doctor froze for a moment, until the agent who had a strong arm around his neck shook him out of it.

"Mr. President," the doctor began, still in a world of pain and fear, "We told y-you before you t-took her that we were still working on the implant device within her brain. We told you that we hadn't finalized the operation, but you said you needed to get her to Timber immediately," he explained, hoping it would be suffice, when it was anything but. Deling put on a fake smile and nodded.

"Oh, I see," he said as he walked towards Ricopula again, "So, it's MY fault? You're saying I should be apologizing to YOU?" he asked, and the doctors eyes widened in even more fear, looking as if he were about to cry.

"N-n-n-no...I would ne-nev-er say that," he mumbled to the point where it was barely understandable. Deling nodded and leaned over, resting a hand on the doctor's shoulder.

"You win, doctor. I'm going let my men show you how sorry I am, while I speak to Dr. Zarate over here," he menacingly stated as he looked into the doctors eyes, seeing that the doctor understood what that meant as he started to weep. The president looked at his men and nodded, as he went and spoke to the chief assistant.

"Congrats Dr. Zarate, you've just been promoted to Lead Researcher," Deling smiled and stated in a jovial tone as he walked towards Zarate, who took a few steps backwards in fear. He could hear Dr. Ricopula screaming in agony, as he heard a drill entering what he only assumed was a part of the doctors body. Zarate wanted to flee, but knew he would likely get the same treatment for doing so.

"Now tell me what I can do to control this bitch!?" Deling demanded, snapping Zarate out of shock.

"Well, there are a number of options, Mr. President," Zarate swallowed, and answered, "If we could find away to get her back in here, we could possibly finish programming the device and..." he began to tell Deling, who angrily cut him off mid thought.

"Oh sure...I'm sure she will be more than willing to come down here and operate on her like a lab rat," he told Zarate, getting impatient, which was the last thing anyone wanted to make Deling, "Use your head, doctor...while it's still intact," Deling threatened, and Zarate nodded fast.

"Th-there is a device we have been working on, " he informed the president as he walked to the side, grabbing a device that looked like a remote control, and handed it to Deling, "It bypasses all magical protections and causes temporary muscular paralysis and nerve inflammation, putting the target in immense pain," he assured Deling, shaking in fear of his response as he heard Dr. Ricopula's fading screams in the background.

"Does it work?" Deling questioned as he looked it over, and again, Zarate nodded quickly, but didn't seem completely sure.

"It's yet to be approved for use by the Galbaidan military, but we feel very confident about it," he stated, trying to sound enthused, but the fear came through more than anything.

After another few glances at the device, Deling nodded, "I hope so Dr. Zarate," he answered, and walked over closer to Zarate, and put a hand on his shoulder, Or your tenure as Lead Researcher will be short lived," he told him in a frighten tone, causing Zarate to become stiff as a board just before Deling turned to leave.

"We're done here," he told one of his agents, who rounded up the other agents and they all made their way out of the lab.

Zarate managed to turn his head enough to see Dr. Ricopula's body, motionless and lying in a puddle of blood, and proceeded to fall to his knees and vomit. Not just at the stomach turning sight, but also at the mere thought that the same could happen to him if the device did not work.

* * *

**Sunday, May 7th 4268/Kingston Borough, Deling City**

**2226 hrs**

The team of SeeD's and Rinoa arrived the Deling City Metrolink train station at approximately 1600 hours, which still gave them a long eight and a half hours before they were scheduled to meet with their unknown contact. What made it even worse was that they had nowhere to go and nothing to do. They were told just to blend in and not draw any attention to themselves, but with eight free hours, that was going to be all the more difficult. Squall just chalked it up to poor planning and attention to detail, which was even more surprising given the importance of the mission.

Fortunately, Rinoa seemed to know her way around the area of Deling City they were in. There was a local fast food establishment where the group grabbed a bunch of food with the money they had available, and then packed into an old, run down theater, that showed cheap movies all day with very few people in attendance. It wasn't ideal, but considering the circumstances, there weren't alot of options, since roaming the streets was far too risky.

After three long, boring movies, the group left the theater. Squall was feeling a bit disgusted by the two cheeseburgers and curly fries he was forced to eat out of hunger. He was not used to the grossly fattening and greasy sustenance of fast food, while Zell seemed to thrive off of the ten cheeseburgers he put away in record time.

Finally, after the sun had fallen and the light of day gave way to the dark of night, the time was nigh. As they made their way to their ultimate destination, Rinoa gave the group a tour of the area they were in. Of course there wasn't much to see, at least not anymore. It appeared there used to be alot of businesses around and looked like the area may have at one time been nice, but now it was completely unkempt. Trash littered the streets, signs and buildings were vandalized and damaged, the streets were uneven with potholes and cracks, and bums and other shady individuals were seen everywhere. Definitely not the best section of the city, but seemingly a location where they didn't have to worry about anyone recognizing them.

After turning down one of the streets, Rinoa notified the group that they were close. Squall wasn't sure how she knew the area so well, but at that moment didnt really care. He had too much else on his mind. Still, Selphie decided to ask the question he was curious about.

"How do you know this area so well, Rinoa?" Selphie asked.

"I spent alot of time here when I was a kid...with my parents," she replied to Selphie, but before Selphie could ask a follow up question, Rinoa spoke again, "There it is..." she said, and began walking forward faster. They walked past an old pharmacy that had its windows broken out and looked like it just recently suffered fire damage. Crossing the street, the group could see an entrance to what looked like park, surrounded by long sections of brick wall which were covered in graffiti of gang symbols and other random art.

They had finally reached their destination.

"I see why they call it 'Beggars' Park," Zell observed and stated, as the park appeared to be in just as bad of shape as the rest of the city. Trash was everywhere, high grass and weeds covered the grounds, broken glass and scattered gravel littered the pathway, and many bums were drunk and stumbling around or sleeping.

"It used to be called Veteran's Park. It was beautiful. I used to come here with my mother, as a child," Rinoa stated, sounding depressed, seeming as if she were recalling a better time as she looked around, but not seeing any remnants to memories she had.

"Rinoa," Selphie asked, noticing Rinoa's expression, "Are you okay?" Selphie asked, and Rinoa nodded.

"Fine. Sorry.." she answered, snapping out of her momentary daze, "This used to be a very beautiful and prosperous section of the city, but Deling crushed everyone with impossible taxes, and it just got worse and worse, until..." she recollected, and finished by pointing out the shambles it was in now.

"So, where is this guy, what are we looking for?" Zell asked as they ventured further in. Squall was told not to carry any of the information on him, but remembered everything word for word.

"It just said meet by the granite fountain by the West Entrance at 2230, " he stated, looking down at the cheap watch he had purchased at the Galbadia Garden Exchange before they left. Zell shook his head, frustrated as always.

"Pssh...amateur bullshit is what this is!" he hissed, kicking a empty beer can by his foot. Squall actually agreed, though. He knew it was under the table to some extent, but this was pitiful. Everything about the mission seemed about as well thought out as Rinoa's and the Forest Owl's plan back in Timber, but at least they had a good reason.

Galbadia Garden and the G-Army..._not so much._

"Lighten up Zell-bells. That vain in your forehead's gonna pop one of these days," Irvine cracked at Zell, referring to his temper, which Zell almost put on display again.

"I'll pop you, you fu..." he began, but noticed Squall, who seemed to be looking at something.

"What's wrong Squall?" he questioned to his colleague. Squall was looking around for the contact, but noticed something from the left. A blinking red light which was barely noticeable, coming from underneath one of the rusted metal park benches.

Squall walked over and crouched down, noticing a small device sticking to the underneath of the bench. Upon inspection, he deemed it safe to touch and pulled out to examine it, and walked over towards the group, who was curious as to what it was.

"What is it?" Quistis asked.

At first, Squall wasn't entirely sure. It was round, the size of his fingertip, and blinking red. He noticed something for a moment and held it closer to his ear, hearing what sounded like light static. Not sure, he placed in his ear, hoping something would come of it. He could still hear the static, but at first it was only white noise. The group shrugged as Squall walked the length of the fountain and looked around, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. After a moment however, a voice finally began to speak.

"If you can hear this, run a hand through your hair," Squall spun around quickly, but saw nothing except his confused party members, shrugging in confusion. He didn't see anything new, so he decided to comply to see what happened next, and ran his bare hand through his brown locks of hair. After a moment of silence, the voice spoke again.

"Good. Head towards the North Entrance of the park on Jerricho Street. You and you're party are to take the alley by old First National Bank and follow it for six blocks until you reach the salvage yard, Do not deviate from this path at all or you run the risk of being spotted and possibly noticed," the voice spoke, concisely and quickly, "Once you reach your destination, I'll give you further instructions," the voice said, and the voice sharply cut out.

Once again, Squall looked around. Obviously someone could see them, but he didn't know where they were. _Was it one of the bums? Were they somewhere in the distance? Were there cameras hidden in the area? _ Squall didn't know, but there was no use in not following to order.

"Let's go," Squall said softly as he walked by the group, en route towards the North Entrance.

"Where?" Rinoa asked what everyone was wondering. Squall didnt stop and just kept walking.

"No questions. Just follow," he told them sternly. They didnt know what was going on, and since Squall was pointman, they all followed his order and walked behind him.

The group reached Jerricho Street and followed quietly behind Squall as they reached a dark alley where there was very little light. No one asked any questions or said a word...not even Zell whom Squall assumed would annoying ask questions the entire way. The only noise came from barking dogs, and some bums along the way who weakly asked for spare change.

The group continued forward and didn't stop once until they reached the salvage yard. As soon as they entered, a pack of three angry Rottweiler's flew around and towards the group, startling them. Rinoa shrieked and ran behind Irvine, but with a flick of her hand, Quistis put all three angry dogs to sleep. After the minor distraction, Squall looked around again, and spoke.

"Alright, we're here," he stated, not even sure if anyone could hear him. Moments later, it was confirmed someone could.

"I know" the voice spoke, Squall not bothering to look around this time, but everyone else in the group did, even though they weren't sure what they were looking for.

"There is an waste barrel next to the school bus, do you see it?" the voice questioned.

Squall looked around again. The salvage yard had stacks upon stacks of scrapped metal, mostly from old cars, along with old appliances like refrigerators and washing machines. About ten feet ahead, Squall saw a glimmering light, and walked forward. He came to discover that there was an old rusted barrel with a small fire ablaze inside. Looking at it, he wasn't sure if that was it, but upon seeing the broken down school bus a few feet away, Squall assumed they were at the right place.

"Yes," Squall answered to the mystery man, still just as confused as his team.

"All of you need to strip down to your underwear and put your clothes in the barrel," causing Squall to do a double take.

"What?" Squall asked sternly.

"No questions, do it!" the voice demanded loudly. Squall was getting annoy at the silliness, but knew they really didnt have many options. Squall sighed and bowed his head.

"What is it?" Quistis asked. Squall looked up at her and slowly shook his head, but did not speak. He just removed his shirt to the shock of everyone, and threw it in the flaming barrel. If that wasn't surprising enough, the group was numb with confusion as Squall removed his pants, and proceeded to throw them in as well, along with his socks and shoes.

Squall stood there in his boxer briefs, somewhat embarrassed, but knew they would all be joining him soon.

"Squall," Irvine said, inching closer to the half nude SeeD, "I'm all for getting out of my clothes too, but there is a time and a place for it," Irvine cracked, which made Quistis and Selphie bite back a laugh, but they wouldn't have done so if they knew what was coming.

"Do it," Squall ordered. At first they weren't sure what he meant, but then slowly realized they were to do the same.

"What the hell?" Quistis questioned, looking around. The group all seemed reluctant to do so, until Squall closed his eyes, growing impatient.

"Just...do it!" he demanded to them. Again they paused, until Irvine shrugged and removed his clothes quickly throwing them in the burning barrel. Soon after, the entire group grudgingly complied. SeeD's were expected to put themselves into compromising and even embarassing situations if the mission called for it, so the SeeD's really weren't all that phased, but Rinoa very much was, as she kneeled and covered herself up a she remained there in a black bra and underwear. Didn't help that Irvine and Zell were enjoying the view a little too much.

"There better be a good goddamned reason for this!" Squall angrily spoke again to the man on the other end, who this time answered immediately.

"Twenty yards east you'll find an a disjointed moving trailer," he spoke, and Squall set off in that direction, with the group following slowing behind. After finding a white _I-Haul_ trailer and the back hatch opened, he replied.

"Okay," Squall answered with a goaded tone.

"Inside on the right compartment, you'll find a mechanized injector," the voice spoke. Squall jumped into the trailer and looked around, finding the instrument he was speaking of. They had similar ones at Garden which were used to deliver curative agents directly into the bloodstream. Upon examining it, the voice spoke again.

"Each of you will inject yourselves in the neck once in the trailer...you last," the voice instructed Squall, who immediately rejected it.

"No," he demanded, "We aren't doing this," Squall told him. It was one thing to follow the other stupid tasks, but this was potentially life threatening. The voice on the other end wasn't too pleased.

"Then your mission is over and you have failed," the voice calmly told Squall, and the voice cut out. Squall squeezed the instrument in his hand, half of him almost not caring at that point. It made absolutely no sense to him, but then again, at that point, nothing did.

"Care to change your mind?" the voice spoke again. Squall rolled his eyes, and held the injector up to show the half naked group standing outside the trailer.

"Everyone needs to inject themselves with this," he told them, knowing their likely reaction would likely be along the lines of _'Fuck that'._

"Fuck that!" Zell fulfilled the prophecy Squall conjured in his mind.

"What is it?" Quistis asked examining it more closely.

"A sedative," Squall replied softly, making everyone squint and moan in confusion and reluctance. Squall felt the same way, but they were just wasting time.

"This is grade-A bullshit!" Zell demanded, kicking the ground beneath his feet, before Selphie tried to calm him.

"Could be worse, Zell," she stated with a shrug, and he looked to her, "They could go make us go to some tomb too look for some dead guy," she finished, obviously joking.

"...I guess," Zell stated, bewildered by the comment.

"Squall..." Quistis looked at him, her eyes questioning if he really wanted them to go through with it.

"Just do it so we can get this over with," Squall told them, clearly exasperated by the entire ordeal.

After about a minute of no one budging, Irvine hopped inside the trailer with Squall, and grabbed the injector.

"Fuck it," Irvine said, looking at the device, "Ain't the first time I took a weird drug and fell asleep in a trailer with three beautiful women," Irvine stated and injected himself, as the group just rolled their eyes at him. Irvine proceeded to stumble towards the back and fell face first on the metal floor, not realizing how fast acting the sedative was.

Zell laughed, "Serves ya right, moron," Zell stated, as he quickly injected himself, and proceeded to do exactly what Irvine did. Squall ran his hand over his face in exasperation.

"In case you guys haven't figured it out, you might want to sit down before you do this," he told them, but the three females were more perceptive than Zell.

They all sat down and proceeded to inject themselves. Rinoa was the last one to go before Squall, and looked up at him with obvious fear in her eyes. He kneeled next to her in an attempt to ease her worries.

"It's okay," he assured her, "Everything will be fine," he finished, and for some reason, that calmed Rinoa, because despite their differences, she trusted him.

She proceeded to inject herself, but her head fell forward, and Squall leaned over and caught her before she could hit the ground. He propped her back up against the pillow and covered her up with the blankets and pillows that were inside as well. He looked at her for a good minute. She looked so peaceful. She didn't belong there and knew the longer she was with them, the more danger she was in. He brushed her hair out of her eyes, and even in deep slumber, a smile crept on her face.

Squall shot back up into a standing position and shook his head, _'What the hell are you doing?_', he said to himself in his head, and then looked back down at the injector.

"Now what?" he spoke to the mystery man.

"Close the trailer door and lock it. Then inject yourself. When you wake up, all your questions will be answered," the voice said, and with that, the signal went completely dead.

Squall was hesitant to believe ALL of their questions would be answered, but had to hope that at least some would. He threw the earpiece outside, seeing as he wouldn't need it anymore, and proceeded to close the door and secure it. There was a small light in the back of the trailer, so he could still see. He grabbed a pillow, walked to the far back right of the trailer and sat down. He stared at the injector, still not knowing what the point was, but there was no point in questioning it now.

Whatever they were into. they were in it for the long haul now.

With that, Squall pressed the injector up to his neck, and pressed the button, feeling a slight pinch and the small needle pierced his skin and the drugs inside was injected.

Within seconds, Squall was deep asleep along with the other members of his party, and only time would tell where they would wake up.

* * *

**Okay...apologies, but I divided up the chapters, so there will be two more chapters after this, although shorter than they would have been**

Also, since so much is changed in this chapter, I have some chapter notes, and a few shout outs...

**CHAPTER NOTES**

1) Im sure a big change you'll see is that there is no stupid scavanger hunt for the missing soldiers ID tag in the Tomb of the Unknown King. REASON? If you were on your way to an important mission where your services were requested and desperately needed, why would those requesting your services make you prove yourself? I guess they COULD, but it makes very little sense. They needed SeeDs help more than SeeD needed them, so I cut that out all together. I even poked fun of it at the end there.

2) I wanted to give each character more depth, and think I have so far. Irvine always seemed too one dimensional in the game aside from the part on the train. Not only did I flesh out that part, but I planning on making giving him more substance, without changing his character much.

3) Trying to establish the power struggle between Deling and the sorceress, which will be seen over the last two chapters of Disc 1.

4) Also, while I could wait to address this next chapter and still might, I just wanted to say I always thought it was laughably dump that the General would invite them to his personal home. There are so many reasons I found that dumb. I may elaborate more next chapter.

**Shout Outs (3 reviews...YAY!)**

**Bebedora: **Thanks for the kind words. Imagery is very important. Sometimes I think I go overboard...sometimes not enough, but I try my best. And yes...the sorceress definitely needed to show more wrath than she did in the game.

**WindiosSiesta: **I cant believe it either! Haha...seriously didnt think Id ever come back to this, but Ive actually really enjoyed being back to be honest. And sorry for making you re read everything...many apologies!

**Mayonaka no Ame**: SIX HOURS...damn. I applaud the effort and thank you for giving it a chance. As far as Laguna's short hair...he is in the military. I was also in the military. I just didnt feel right having him have long hair in those early years. If I continue with further Laguna segments...he will be dawning his old long locks of hair since he is no longer in the G-Army. Hope that is a good enough reason for ya!

**Really having fun with this right now, but I am not going to promise to go all the way. Right now, Im only promising the last two chaps of disc one, and a reflection chapter. That should take me to the start of school. After that, Ill still have time to write, but it will mainly depend on the interest in the story. Seems like its growing, and as I said, Im enjoying writing it, but if I dont see the interest, I dont know if Ill see the point. **

**I will say that I will LIKELY right the prison break out chapters after Disc one, only because i have some great ideas, but again...no promises.**

**Next chapter...should be out my next weekend at the latest. Possibly sooner! **


	27. Chapter XXII: Best Laid Plans

"_In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable."_  
**―****Dwight D. Eisenhower**

**Chapter XXII**

_**Best Laid Plans**_

**Monday, May 8th 4268/Foxhound Underground Base**

**0554 hrs**

As a SeeD, abrupt wake up calls were part of the job.

This day, however, was more abrupt than most.

Squall's eyes shot open and his heart rate skyrocketed as the ammonium carbonated popper was held directly under his nose. The smelling salt was not a new experience for Squall, as they were often used to awake SeeD's and cadets who were under the effects of sleep magic. Still, while some found them to be a rush, Squall found them to be unpleasant since the after affects usually made his throat burn and gave him a headache.

He did have a headache at the moment, but it was not due to the invigorating chemicals that just shot into his brain, but rather the long night spent on the floor of a cold moving trailer. In his comatose state, his head had seemingly fallen from its comfortable perch on a pillow and onto the metal floor, which was pretty unforgiving, especially on his back, where a huge knot of discomfort had formed. Squall wasn't big on anyone touching him, but he felt as if a massage would've been greatly beneficial at that moment.

As his eyes began to focus, Squall could see a blurry form of a man kneeling in front of him, wearing what looked like a dark blue G-Army basic utility uniform. He could feel the man nudging him rather roughly, trying to get him to awaken from the deep state of slumber the sedative put him in.

"Wakey wakey eggs and bakey..." the mustached soldier playfully mused as Squall's eyes opened and settled on him, "Come on, let's go..", he finished, cocking his head in the direction of outside the trailer.

Squall rose to his feet, placing his hands along the walls of the trailer to keep from spilling over, struggling to adjust to the sleep-induced disorientation which was magnified by the strength of the powerful sedative he had injected himself with the night before. Walking toward the open back end of the trailer, Squall felt a chill as he realized he was still in nothing but his gray boxer briefs, but at the moment, was too depleted of energy to really care.

Reaching the open end of the trailer, there wasn't really much to see in terms of where he was at. They were on a street and in some type of tunnel, which seemed as if it were underground and he could hear the buzzing of traffic and swooshing of vehicles as they sped past above. The tunnel was full of artificial florescent lighting, which at the moment, did not help his headache.

He jumped down from out of the trailer; his bare feet hitting the cold pavement below and feeling a small pebble dig into the heel of his foot. Looking around, he noticed the other members of his party off to the side, getting dressed into what looked like Galbadian PT gear, which constituted of dark blue mesh windpants and a hooded windbreaker which had the G-Army crest on the front. They also had several boxes of shoes in various sizes so that the SeeDs could find something that worked for them.

Squall made his way over by the group, who all still seemed to be in a dreary state. There were several Galbadian soldiers standing around giving the group threatening stares, but again, the SeeD's were too tired to discern the meaning behind it. Many G-Army soldiers did not like SeeD, due to the fact that individually, SeeD's were much better trained, and on many occasions, had been hired in opposition of the Galbadian Army.

"What the hell?" Squall managed to get out and a low, tired voice. Zell looked at Squall with squinty eyes and shook his head.

"Too cold to be hell.." he remarked.

Squall began to get dressed, throwing on the attire that had been provided to them. Not his customary type of wardrobe, but Squall figured it was only temporary. At the moment, he was more angry about the mere fact that they had to go through all that, and wanted to know why. As Squall looked for a pair of size ten sneakers, he heard Selphie speaking up ahead.

"What is this place?" she asked as she looked around, but again, from their current location, there wasn't much to see. A young excitable soldier stepped up to answer her inquiry.

"Underground military base...Top secret! Not even the president knows about it..." he rambled out quickly and eagerly, seeming as if he had a crush on Selphie. He was quickly scolded by his superior.

"CORPORAL!" the thirty something year old man shouted, startling the young soldier, who simply nodded and walked away. After noticing everyone had finished dressing, the man spoke again.

"Please, follow me," he stated directly and turned.

The group proceeded to follow him down an unusually long hallway. It was only about five feet wide, and the walls were made of light brown concrete the entire length of the way, which was about fifty yards long until finally reaching a mechanical door which required a key card and nine digit pin, which the soldier inputted quickly and the door slid open.

The new area gave the SeeD's a better idea of where they were at. They were in a rather large hangar bay, which was full of military vehicles; mainly armored humvee's and large trucks for transporting large platoons of soldiers. Again, there were alot of new faces staring at them...some in confusion and some simply out of spite. The SeeD's didn't seem to care though as they barely returned any looks, choosing simply to ignore it, which is all they really could do.

After crossing the expansive bay and winding down a few more hallways, they were finally led into an office. It was rather large, dimly lit, and had a very military-esque feeling to it. Bookshelves full of various texts and hardbacks ran along every wall except the front wall, which was adorned with various military and country flags, showcases and framed pictures. The floors were concrete as well, but a massive dark red rug covered pretty much the entire office floor.

"Wait in here. The general should be in shortly," the soldier alerted them, still not giving them much to go off of. Quickly, he exited the room, leaving the six of them in there by themselves.

Squall, still feeling the effects of the sedative, could tell pretty much everyone else was suffering from the draining aftereffects. The chilling temperatures of the entire underground base had helped them stay more alert than they otherwise would have been, but each of them still seemed lumbering and drowsy. Selphie had plopped and slouched into one of the chairs in the office, as the other members of group walked around, trying to get their blood flowing.

Rinoa slowly walked silently past Squall and Quistis, and looked as if she were going to sit down next to Selphie, but as she went to do so, something seemed to grab her attention. She walked closer to the desk and leaned over, tilting a picture frame that was sitting on the desk so she could get a better view. She proceeded to pick the picture up and stared at it with widened eyes. No one noticed at first except Selphie, who didn't think much of it until she saw Rinoa slightly trembling.

"Rinoa, what is it?" Selphie asked tiredly, but interested. Squall raised his head and looked over to Rinoa, confused as you why she was holding the picture frame so tightly.

"Oh no…" she muttered as she slowly placed the picture frame back on the desk. Squall wasn't sure what was going on with her, but she looked legitimately startled as she slowly backed away, looking around the room as if they just walked into a trap.

"What?" Squall inquired, taking a step in her direction. Rinoa quickly glanced at Squall, and then back at the desk as she slowly raised her hand as if to point something out.

"The general! He's…" she slowly began to answer, but never go a chance to answer as the office door opened, and a G-Army soldier stepped in and saluted.

"Attention! The General of the Galbadian Army, Jonothan Caraway," the soldier called out. The SeeD's all went into an attention stance, albeit lazily. They raised the SeeD salute as the general walked in and nodded to the other G-Army soldier, which was a cue for him to leave.

The general walked towards his desk, surveying the room as he did so. The man was wearing a dark blue battle dress camouflage uniform, and was carrying a stack of folders, which he proceeded to drop onto the desk ask he reached his chair. The general, however. did not sit down, but rather continued to look over the group, seeming as if he wanted to both study them and intimidate them, but the latter wasn't happening.

In the midst of this, a distant memory flashed in Squall's mind. Despite hearing his name hundreds of times over the years, Squall had never seen the Galbadian general's face until that very moment, but oddly, felt as though he had.

_"I've seen him before," _Squall thought to himself, but couldn't put a finger on where. He assumed that maybe he caught a glimpse of him in a textbook or in a newspaper, but it was more than that. Squall felt not just like he saw him before, but actually _met him_ before.

But before Squall's mind could overanalyze the situation any further, the general spoke.

"At ease," he finally stated, and they all dropped their salutes, "Sorry to keep you waiting, but it's been chaotic ever since we put this plan into action. I'm sure you all have a lot of questions, which will all be answered in time," the general explained to them, and then picked the top folder off the pile on his desk, and opened it.

"Which one of you is...Leonhart? he questioned and scanned the room, and his eyes came to a stop on Squall, as if the general already knew the answer.

"Sir..." Squall stepped forward, and again raised the SeeD salute, "Field Sergeant Squall Leonhart." he introduced himself and then rested his greeting. After giving Squall another once-over, the general looked back down at the folder.

"And Kinneas?" he asked, watching as a young man in the back of the room simply raised an arm and gave a lazy, two fingered wave to signal his presence. He was listlessly resting against the back-wall bookshelf, seemingly oblivious or uncaring to the fact that he was speaking to a high ranking military officer.

After giving Irvine a firm stare which he didn't even notice, the general looked back at the file for a moment and then back to the gunman.

"Galbadia Garden, huh?" the general noted, causing Irvine to glance up a bit, "You better be worth it, we put a lot of money into that program!" the general commented in a challenging tone, to which Irvine was not affected at all.

"I'm worth every penny," Irvine boasted, sounding serious behind the fatigue in his voice. After a moment, the general simply grinned.

"Hah! I like you." the general stated with a nod, and again retreated his eyes back to the file.

Suddenly, a flicker of surprise, almost too quickly to even notice, flashed on the generals face, as he looked back up and again glanced from person to person, almost seeming as if he were taking count with his eyes. After doing so, he squinted and laid the file on the desk before walking out from behind it.

"This overview that Martine sent me states you were arriving with a five man party...yet, I see six," General Caraway noted, seemingly agitated with the faulty information. After walking slowly past each SeeD and Irvine, the general went on.

"Now, I notice all of you from your files, So that means..." the general recounted as he approached the back left corner of the office, where a slender figure stood with their back turned and their hood up, almost obviously trying to conceal their identity. It was obvious to the general that the mystery figure was a female, but who she was exactly, was the answer he was looking for.

"Care to identify yourself, young lady!?" he demanded sharply, as the female figure raised her head, but did not turn.

The group watched nervously as Rinoa stood there with her back to the general, and for some reason was not responding. They thought she may have been scared, and in that type of situation, didn't blame her. Squall silently kicked himself for not introducing her before, as he knew she wasn't going to be listed on the mission report, and now was facing the potential wrath of the general.

As Squall prepared to step in and explain the situation, Rinoa began to remove her hood and slowly turn around. As her eyes met the generals, the group watched as his stance seemed to tighten. They couldn't see his face, but could still somehow tell the Galbadia officer was shocked by something.

"I think we've met before, General!" Rinoa stated, to both the surprise of Caraway and the SeeD's.

"What the..." the general barely got out as he looked her up and down, still seemingly trying to make sense of what he was seeing, "What are you doing here!?" he shouted harshly, but in such way where he was trying to remain professional.

For a moment, there was no movement or communication from either side. Rinoa simply returned the generals gaze, and to the surprise of the group, seemed completely impervious to the man's irate demeanor. A moment earlier, it seemed as if she were too frightened to even face him, and now it seemed as if she were having and ocular duel with the general.

In the midst of the lingering silence, Quistis stepped forth.

"You two know each other?" she questioned, which was enough to draw Caraway out of his daze and redirect some ire in her direction.

"Mind your business, SeeD!" he pointed at Quistis, who took a step back, surprised by the reaction; his response making it rather apparent that they did know each other.

"Don't be mean to them! They helped me survive...if you even care!" she exclaimed, with the comment seemingly striking a gentle cord within the general as his tone and expression softened.

"Of course I do," he whispered in a gentle tone, and then looked back at the group, who were watching the drama unfold in front of them.

"Can I speak with you outside?" he told Rinoa and walked past the group of SeeD's, who still had no idea what was going on. Upon reaching the door, the general turned, noticing that Rinoa wasn't budging.

"Rinny…NOW!" he insisted as he held the door open, gesturing her out.

Reluctantly, Rinoa rolled her eyes and stormed ahead, not even making eye contact with anyone as she walked past the SeeD's and the general on her way out the door. Caraway turned, seeming ripe with frustration and embarrassment.

"I'll be right back." he quickly informed them, and closed the door shut behind him.

The group stood quietly in the room as the door clicked shut, contemplating the events that just transpired before them. There was obviously some type of relationship there between Rinoa and the general, but there was no way of know the nature of it.

"What was that about?" Selphie asked the question out loud, even though no one had an answer. Squall took a few steps forward, obviously not pleased.

"There's something going on here," he deduced, but try as he might, couldn't make the connection, "I knew she wasn't telling us something." he said with aggravation outlining his voice as he looked at Quistis, who could do nothing but shrug.

Once again, the room fell silent. Squall and Quistis just stood still, trying to make sense of it on their own. Zell and Selphie walked around the room, seeing if they could find anything that might give them a hint. Irvine remained disinterested, still reclining against the bookcase in the back where he had been the entire time.

"Man, look at all these medals! This guy's the universal soldier," Zell stated, clearly impressed as he looked at a large display case by the desk, which was full of service medals and various other awards and accolades. Zell ran his hands over the glass as he surveyed each individual item, until Selphie stepped next to him.

"Zell, don't touch it. He doesn't want chicken-germs on his stuff!" Selphie warned. Zell froze for a moment as if he didn't hear correctly, but upon realizing he did, slowly looked up.

"Wha!?" he mumbled, with puzzlement riddled in his voice, reminded of not so fond memories of Seifer. Selphie smirked and raised a hand to calm the young blonde.

"Kidding Zell, kidding!" she explained with a wink, but Zell still didn't seem to be amused.

Squall looked up, seeing the myriad of pictures along the back wall. He knew they were all military related pictures and likely didn't hold any clues to shed light on the matter, but decided it was worth checking out. Strolling along the wall, the photographs were all rather old; most of them with the general in some foreign land, standing next to military and world leaders and various colleagues he worked with throughout the years.

Nearing the desk, one portrait in particular caught Squall's eye. It was a framed portrait of a large platoon, with a description of _**"Bravo Company of the 143rd regiment Galbadia Expeditionary Force"**__. _Looking over it at first, Squall didn't think much of it, figuring it just to be one of the many military companies that Caraway had been a part of over the years.

As Squall began to move on, however, three particular individuals caught his eye. _A huge, towering soldier with a big smile on his face, a slender black man with a small grin, and finally, an average height male soldier with short black hair, who seemed to be laughing hysterically_. Squall walked closer, tracing the three men with his finger. Their faces were somewhat pixilated and unclear in the picture of the large platoon, but Squall swore he knew who they were.

Upon noticing Squall gawking at the picture, Quistis walked up next to him.

"What's wrong Squall?" she inquired. Squall looked over at her quickly, then back to the picture and just shook his head slowly.

"I wouldn't even know where to begin," he told her, uncertainty riddled in his voice.

Quistis had not had the same experiences he had been having, so even if he had told her, she likely wouldn't have understood. Hell, Squall didn't even really understand himself. In fact, this just confused him even more, because if those men were indeed who he thought they were, then the _'dreams'_ he was having were definitely more than just vivid figments of his overactive imagination.

Moments later, the door to the office once again opened, and the general returned, without Rinoa.

"Pardon that disruption," he told them, but provided no insight as to where she was.

The general walked towards the back wall, and right in front of Irvine, who had his head slumped down and was drifting asleep as he leaned back. Without warning, the general reached towards a large maroon colored book right by Irvine's head and pulled it. The book acted as some type of hidden switch which caused the bookcase to raise up into the ceiling, startling Irvine.

"What the hell!?" Irvine stated as he quickly retreated from his rest, feeling as the bookcase moved behind him. The general seemed annoyed and his eyes portrayed his feelings, but Irvine just yawned loudly and stretched. It still seemed as if he wasn't taking the mission seriously despite the rant he gave Squall on the train, but for now, they were stuck with him.

"Please follow me to the strategy room." the general told the group and walked inside, with the SeeD's following.

"Whoa," Zell stated as he walked inside, "Pretty sweet!" he exclaimed in reference to the hidden room. Things like that always seemed to impress Zell.

The group walked through a short, narrow pathway which opened up into a larger room, filled with alot of tech gear such as computers, rows of flat panel televisions along the walls, large data servers and various other types of equipment throughout the room. Along the wall were several computer stations with touchscreen capabilities, and in the center of the groom was a large, polished wooden table, which looked somewhat peculiar due to the table's amenities. There was a large glass panel in the center of the table which had holographic display capabilities, and at each seat were individual glass monitors which could be protracted and retracted from the table.

The general walked towards the front of the room in front of a huge screen, and grabbed a remote, switching on a digital, hi-def overhead projector. As it powered on, the SeeD's took a seat towards the front of the room; the glass monitor raising from the table as they took their seats.

Before the general could get started, Squall felt the need to inquire on a lingering matter.

"Where's Rinoa?" he asked directly, not using any pleasantries. He felt that the general was out of line not telling them immediately, so Squall just got right to the point. The general's eyes tightened, and he momentarily hesitated, but decided to answer.

"She has not received training like you all have," he informed, but that part was already obvious, "She is not a soldier and has no business being a part of this mission," the general finished, but ultimately did not answer Squall's question.

"If you dont mind me asking sir.." Quistis asked with a raised hand, "What is your relationship with Rinoa?" The follow up question didnt seem to sit well with the general.

"Actually...I do mind you asking!" the general told her, but she wanted an answer, so Quistis held eye contact with him. The general closes his eyes and took a deep breath before continuing.

"But...I suppose you have a right to know," he told the group, as he slowly leaned forward against the table, "I knew of her involvement in Timber, as well as SeeD's, but had no idea you were working together. Her carelessness could've gotten her arrested...or worse," he stated, almost seeming saddened and frightened at the mere possibility. He closed his eyes, and paused, before finally finishing.

"I guess I owe you my gratitude for returning her safely," Caraway added with the smallest of smiles.

Things were starting to add up a bit, but there was still an air of confusion. It was evident that the general and Rinoa had some type of preexisting personal relationship, but before Squall even started considering the exact connection, Selphie's question saved him the trouble.

"Wait a minute," the young female said, her eyes widening as she leaned forward as if she just had some grand epiphany, " Are you Rinoa's…father?"

_And there it was_. The question was laid out there, and as soon as the statement left her mouth, it made sense. _The picture on the desk, their reactions to each other, the care in the general's voice when speaking of her_. It added up, and every member of the group, sans Irvine, was eager for the confirmation.

Caraway, for a moment, just looked at Selphie, and then glanced around the table, noticing each member of the group seemed just as interested in his reply. The general gave a small, somewhat depressing chuckle through his nose and looked down at the table, as if he recollected both a pleasing and distressing thought at the same time. He looked back up, and gave a slight nod as he answered.

"Father…I can't remember the last time she called me that," he stated in a somewhat painful tone. It was clear their relationship wasn't strong, but either way, this was a monumental discovery. Squall sat there, staring blankly ahead, while Quistis, Zell and Selphie had more perceptible reactions.

"No way!" Zell said a small laugh, "The father is the leader of one of the world's strongest militaries, and the daughter is a member of an anti-government faction, opposed to the same government you're employed by!?" he questioned with widened eyes.

"That's bad. _Real_…bad!" Selphie stated, to which everyone agreed, even the general.

"Yes, it is a serious problem. Knowing my men might end up killing her, it's too much to bare. It's those damn hoodlums she runs around with!" he said with spite in his voice, referring to the two individuals the SeeD's met in Timber.

"Zone and Watts?" Selphie questioned, but the general did not reply; instead chosing to move on.

"There is too much at stake to be concerned with that. I'll deal with Rinoa. Right now, you work for me!" he demanded loudly, to which the group nodded. Squall had more questions...alot more...but felt as if asking them would be minimizing the importance of the mission at hand or disprectful of the general's privacy, so decided to wait unit another time.

"I'll give you a brief rundown of our planned course of action for now," the general stated a digital menu of commands appeared on the screen, and the lights within the room darkened, "I'm sure you're all aware by now of the Galbadia government's agreement with Sorceress Edea."

"Edea?" Quistis asked, being that she hadn't heard the name before. The general simply nodded in reply.

"Yes. That is her name. I don't know much about her, or how exactly this arrangement was made. All I know is that we must stop this before we have another Sorceress War on our hands," he said, sounding very serious. The general had been in the military for quite awhile, so Squall felt it was safe to assume he had seen action in the war that took place about twenty years earlier.

"_Edea…" _Squall repeated the name in his head. He had heard it in Timber when she was introduced, but at the time, Squall didn't think much of it. But the name seemed so...familiar, even if he had no idea why.

"Do you really believe it will come to that?" Quistis asked, referring to another possible war. The first one mainly happened because no one was prepared for it. This time, however, it seemed there was fair warning.

"Video feed one," Caraway called out. He didn't give Quistis a direct answer, but figured what she was about to see would be more telling than anything he could say.

"This is security footage from a World Council meeting in Junon yesterday," the General showed the group who leaned forward in interest, watching as the sorceress terrorized the members of the World Council and killed a few men. "There is no sound, but actions speak louder than words," he stated, and the group just watched on, mesmerized by what they were seeing.

"According to witness reports, the sorceress made it abundantly clear and that her and President Deling are indeed not after world peace, but global domination," Caraway added.

"If this happened at a World Council session, how is this not all over the news?" Quistis asked, still trying to shake off the chills from what she just saw.

"They are trying to prevent mass panic," Caraway replied, "If this news were to be made public, there would be widespread fear, which would lead to violence and people fleeing, which may prompt the President and the sorceress to take immediate action. Nations are taking this time, preparing their militaries for the worst, but hopefully, it will never come to that," Caraway explained.

It made sense, especially since there were alot of people still on edge from the last Sorceress War, even if it was twenty years earlier. The mere thought of history repeating itself might cause many to relive that nightmare in their minds, and possibly lose all common sense and act out of pure instinct, which as Caraway stated, could lead to sweeping waves of fear throughout cities, countries and continents.

"Tomorrow night at 2000 hours, there will be a ceremony to commemorate this unsacred pact." Caraway started again, "File XB7-92...clearance code J-U-L-I-A-4-7-R," the general spoke loudly.

_**"File XB7-92...verifying credentials...access granted..."**_ the female computerized voice spoke, and an organized flurry of files flooded the screen. One of the files on screen enlarged, giving aerial satellite 3-D images of the presidential palace, which also included numerous other types of information including address, longitude and latitude and dimensions of the palace.

"The event will begin at the Presidential Palace, where the president is to officially introduce the city to the new 'ambassador'" Caraway explained as digital images of both President Deling and Sorceress Edea enlarged on screen, "Security will be extremely heavy between the G-Army and the Galbadian Secret Service, but we feel like we have enough insiders to accomplish this without being detected," he explained and took a swig of water, before moving on.

"There will be three separate teams for this mission. The _'support team'_, the _'parade team'_ and the _'sniper team'_." he told them, and files for each team popped up on screen, but did not open, "I have reviewed your personal SeeD files and put you all where I feel you will be best served to help in completing this mission," he informed the group, who watched on eagerly to hear their role in the mission.

"The support team will be coordinated by me. Corporal Tilmitt will work with other IT experts on staff to track the parade through the city and monitor any security issues," Caraway continued as profiles of both Selphie and Quistis enlarged on screen, "Sergent Trepe will also be on the support team and will be the immediate contact with the other two teams," the general stated and looked to both Quistis and Selphie, who nodded in understanding.

"Coporal Dincht," the general called.

"Yo," Zell raised his hand, overly excited as usual. The general didn't seem to care for his lack of decorum, but didn't make an issue of it.

"You will be with two of my men on the parade team," Caraway stated, and again, three digitized profiles opened, including Zell's "You will pose as a Galbadian solder that follows the main float the sorceress and president will be on. Your only task will be to keep an eye on the sorceress during the parade and to alert us on any suspicious activities that could interfere with our plan," he explained to Zell, giving him a cold stare as he did, hoping the young SeeD would get the underlying message.

"And finally, the sniper team," Caraway stated after the pause, causing Zell's on-screen file to close and the profiles for Irvine and Squall to open on screen, "The sniper team will consist of Field Sergeant Leonhart, and of course, our gunman, Mr. Kinneas. You will take your position at Saint Ludwig's Church atop the bell tower, which is just over eight blocks from the North Gateway," he stated as the profiled minimized and a large digital map of the city opened on screen. The view started from high above the city, but gradually zoomed in, finally to the point that it showed the church he was talking about.

"Field Sergeant Leonhart, your primary objective will be to protect Mr. Kinneas at all costs, and alert us of any suspicious activity in the area," Caraway continued, "I will have two other men stationed on that block as security, but they are on our side and just there to fill the quota for the parade. However, Presidential Secret Service will be sweeping the entire city and they are out of my control. You need to be careful," he stressed to Squall and Irvine.

"The parade is set to pass under the North Gateway on Aeris Blvd. at 2200 hours," Caraway stated and the map on screened zoomed out from the church and zoomed into the location the general spoke of, "The strategy team will remotely drop the North Gateway gate as the main float passes underneath it. This will trap the float momentarily, and prevent most of the security from interfering. However, the gate won't hold the sorceress when she realizes what is going on," he told them and then looked directly at Irvine, who had his feet propped up on the table and was reclining back.

"As soon as the North Gateway gate closes Kinneas...take your first open shot.." he stated raising his arm toward Irvine, and had his hand shaped like a gun, "BANG!" he shouted, mimicking Irvine's signature move.

For a moment, Irvine just grinned, but then he finally became somewhat interested as he threw his feet from atop the table and leaned forward in his chair.

"Yeah, about '_bang'_. I was told you chaps would issue me a rifle," Irvine asked. He didn't seem to care much about the plan itself, but as soon as the topic of guns was raised, he was all ears and genuinely excited. Caraway simply nodded at his query.

"You'll find what you need when you reach your destination." he informed Irvine, who nodded slowly, "SeeD's, your weapons, clothes and personal items were delivered here from Galbadia Garden, and are waiting for you in the armory. Try not to carry too much though, as this mission is about stealth, not power."

Just as Caraway wrapped up, the large display went dark as the overhead projector powered down, and the lights in the room brightened again. Caraway proceeded to walk directly in front of the conference table, and leaned forward against the commanders chair.

"Any questions?" he entertained, and almost immediately, Quistis raised a hand.

"Why SeeD?" she questioned, causing Caraway squint a bit, "I mean, I would think the G-Army had the capability to pull off a mission like this on their own," she inferred.

"There are limited people we can trust," Caraway told her, very bluntly, "Alot of G-Army soldiers oppose the president and sorceress, but the fact is that many are too afraid to act on it and stand by their convictions, and if one wrong person within the Galbadian Armed Forces caught wind of our plan...needless to say it would be disastrous," he explained to her; the reasoning seemed suffice for her as she nodded.

Squall looked off to the side, as he remembered the soldiers they passed on the way it and the callous looks some gave the group. He knew that didn't necessarily mean any of them would betray the general, but it still made Squall think.

"What about your men here? Can they be trusted?" he asked, and without hesitation, the general nodded.

"These are all men I personally vouch for. We are top secret special force known as '_**Foxhound**_**'**. We all oppose the sorceress and what the president is trying to do," he insisted with confidence. Squall was still a bit apprehensive and had his doubts, but at the moment, there was nothing he could do except take the general at his word.

"Sticky situation," Selphie added, obviously having her doubts as well. The entire group got quiet for a moment. contemplating any further issues or questions that needed to be brought to the generals attention. After a minute of dead air within the room, the general looked to his gold watch, and then back to the group.

"I have to brief the president on the security measures and parade route at 1200 hours," he said, standing up, and the SeeD's stood in unison, "You are dismissed until 1600 hours when will reconvene back here to go over the plan in extreme detail," Caraway elaborated as he walked around the table and past the SeeD's, who simply watched him walk by. Just before he made his exit, the general turned to them once more.

"Until then, we have prepared temporary rooms so you can rest up, and the mess hall is open if you are hungry," he stated, just as an enlisted soldier walked in to get the general for needed business.

"Fuck yeah! I'm starving!" Zell blurted out, but immediately regretted it. The general simply sighed at the impulsive reaction.

"Dismissed," he excused them and made his exit.

With that, the rest of the group began to peel themselves from their chairs and file out their room. Zell had zipped out right behind the general, letting his nose lead him in the direction of food. Squall, however, remained seated, pinching his bottom lip together as he stared ahead in silence, seeing the lights above reflect off the glass panel in the middle of the conference table. While he finally got some answers, most were answers he didn't expect, or they were just replaced with new questions.

He was angry with Rinoa for not telling them such vital information, and wandered if Cid was aware of that little tidbit of information. Then again, if Cid did know, it wouldnt have mattered. Either way, it was his job, his mission, to take on those sorts of roles as SeeD's. Information was on a strict need-to-know basis, and apparently, this didnt fall into that category, even if Squall thought it did.

But now the question remained...what happened to Rinoa? _Was she in trouble? Where did she go? Would he ever see her again? _He tried to play the last question off like he didn't care. Play her down like just another client...and in a way, that all she was_. Another paying client. A client that seemingly got Seifer to care about something other than himself. A client that convinced Cid to approve a dangerous mission for little revenue. A client that did nothing but aggrevate him and made him feel constantly on edge._

There was nothing special about her.

Except..._there was._

* * *

**Monday, May 8th 4268/**

**1154 hrs**

Even the inner walls of the presidential palace seemed to mirror the maniacal malevolence of Vinzer Deling. The palace was always eerily hush, and the lighting was generally soft. Heavy, dark curtains remained closed during the day to prevent much natural light from finding its way inside, and the overall ambiance was grim and uninviting; just the way Deling liked it.

Not many people were welcomed inside the sprawling mansion. Most world leaders and dignitaries wanted little or nothing to do with the despicable leader. He had no living family. No friends. His only company usually being his bodyguards and high ranking military officers. Deling was a private person who didn't like people in general, and while the most found the sorceress to be chillingly nefarious, the president found her presence to be rather comforting for his own deranged tastes.

Still, she was starting to become more of a hassle than she was worth. Even with all the possibilities of having a powerful sorceress on his side, Sorceress Edea was becoming a rabid dog, foaming at the mouth and impossible to control. It wasn't supposed to be an issue, as her mind was supposed to be _'programmed'_ to follow Deling's directives, but instead, her own interests seemed to supersede any of Deling's, and he could feel her trying to nudge him off to the side...slowly, but surely.

He made his way to the second floor of the palace, with two secret service agents dressed in black suits and ties following a few feet behind. They turned down several hallways until finally reaching the closed double doors of Sorceress Edea's bedroom. There was another agent standing in front of the door, guarding it. The president stepped in front of him and raised his chin.

"Open it," Deling ordered, but the agent paused.

"Sir, the sorceress is currently resting, and doesn't wish to be disturbed," he informed the president, who didn't seem very satisfied with the response.

"Next time you question one of my orders, I'll have my men cut out your tongue and make you eat it," the president maliciously told him while acting poised, "Open it!" he again ordered.

Without hesitation this time, the guard nodded quickly and opened the door, giving the president access to Edea's quarters. Upon entering, he saw that the sorceress was resting, but not in the way that normal people rest. She was sitting in the middle of the floor with her legs intertwined, and her hands crossed over her chest, and had her head bowed down with her eyes closed. The curtains were and doors were all closed except for the balcony door right in front of her, which was wide open with breeze of wind from outside circling the room, tickling the small flames of the candles that were lit throughout the room.

Deling walked in with his two guards, and they closed the door behind them. The sorceress did no respond, even though she did sense their prescense. The presdient waited a moment, but knew full well she wouldnt initiate any type of interaction. He began taking slow steps forwards, his custom black dress shoes clicking against the polished white marble with each step he took. He sidled up next to her, and after looking over her motionless form for a moemnt, spoke.

"Good day, Edea," he stated, but she did not immediately react, "General Caraway has arrived and wants to go over the details of what will happen tomorrow night with us," he informed her. She hadnt moved even a little, but Deling knew she could hear him. Seconds later, that fact was confirmed by a response.

"I know what will happen tomorrow night. I do not need to be told," she responded in a low, dark undertone, but did not move.

"What?" the president asked, crossing his arms in frustration, "Another incident like in Junon?" he questioned, his voice glaring with anger.

"If necessary to get my point across," she replied, again, not moving. Her lack of respect for his wishes was beginning to enrage the president.

"I thought we established no such action would be taken until after all our military forces were prepared?" he questioned, demandingly, "Now, the entire world knows our fucking intentions. The element of surprise is now gone!" he shouted at her, with his voicing echoing through the mostly empty room.

"There is no preparation necessary," Edea answered as she finally raised her head. She held her arms out to her side and she began to float into the air, above the ground with her legs still crossed. After raising about three feet above the ground, she uncrossed her legged and her feet touched the floor. Without looking at Deling, she took a few steps forwards towards the open door of the balcony, which overlooked the palace's luxurious courtyard.

"All who oppose me will perish in the flames of my tyranny. My power grows stronger by the day, and soon, no one on this pitiful planet will be able to stop me from taking my throne," Edea stated with little emotion, simply standing still and looking outside.

"Your throne? Hmm," Deling had finally heard enough. It was clear that whatever her plans were moving forward, they didn't include him. Deling's facial muscles tightened in a supreme fit of anger, which he managed to contain within himself, but the fire was still burning within.

"I think it's time that you and I come to an...understanding," he sharply began as the pitch of his voice got higher with each word, and slowly walked towards the back of the room, "You do not, nor will you ever, call the shots. You wouldn't even be here if not for me, and I can dispose of you just as quickly as I created you," he threatened before turning around.

"Your only place on the throne will be next to me...IF, and only IF, I allow you to be," he informed her, with volcanic rage spewing out of him as he told her how it was going to be.

For a moment, there was no reaction, which was most unsettling. The president and his bodyguards didn't flinch or even breathe much as they awaited the sorceresses retort. Suddenly, a mum, feminine laughter could be heard, which got increasingly louder as she turned around to address the president, her eyes dark and seemingly endless, peering intently into his from across the room.

"Amusing," she claimed in a humored, malevolent tone, and began a slow pace towards him, "Have you forgotten who I am? I shall remind you..." Edea warned, and then paused as she slowly raised her hand towards Deling. A brief flash of blue energy emanated from her palm, but tiny streams and coils of electricity fluttered and faded away. Edea looked down to her hand, with no particular emotion on her face, but Deling began to cackle a bit.

"Oh, didnt I tell you?" he asked her in a somewhat derisive voice, "While we were in Junon, I had my men set up equipment to suppress your powers within the palace...just in case you were to try something like this. Estharian technology...very advanced stuff," he told her cockily, which infuriated her.

"You pitiful fool! You.." she exclaimed and began walking closer to Deling, who lifted his hand, revealing and on odd looking remote device, which he proceeded to point at her.

Edea stopped just as the president pressed down on the button. As he did, Edea felt every muscle in her body suddenly go limp and she collapsed to the floor, and then began to feel as sharp pulses of pain darting through her head, and as if sulfuric acid had just started coursing through her veins.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" she coughed out, twitching on the floor as the pain worsened. Edea looked up, watching as Deling hovered over her with an evil smirk on his face.

"Oh Edea, look at you...," he stated in a belittling manner, "You hide behind your powers, but what are you without them? The same pathetic, weak bitch you were before I found you!" he shouted, and then kicked her in the ribs as hard as he could, only adding to her current misery.

"You are NOTHING without me!" again he screamed, followed by two more kicks, and then proceeded to spit on her. Deling's face had turned red with rage, and his brow was thick with sweat. After a few deep breaths, he collected himself. He wiped the beads of perspiration from his forehead with his sleeve, adjusted his red tie, and smoothed a hand over his black suit jacket.

"After this is over, we will fix this little issue so you never forget who is in charge again," he told her in a calm, yet chilling tone as the pain within her started to fade gradually, "Until then, make yourself at home," he mocked, and quickly made his exit with his guards close behind, the door was shut and locked behind him.

The sorceress' slender arms shook profusely as she pushed herself off the ground and struggled to get to her knees. For the first time in their dysfunctional partnership, Deling had the upper hand. Most of her supernatural abilities were now useless within the confines of the mansion, and she was simply flesh and blood again. Still, she was not scared at all, only angry, mostly at her own foolishness for not ridding of Deling immediately. But despite the current circumstances, she wasn't quite as powerless as Deling thought.

She still had an ace up her sleeve, and felt now was as good as any time to use it.

* * *

**Monday, May 8th 4268/Caraway Mansion - Cherry Mountain, Deling City Palisades**

**2016 hrs**

"You can't keep me locked up like this!" Rinoa shouted at the two Galbadian soldiers in the lavish living room atop Cherry Mountain.

Rinoa hated being there, at the mansion, because growing up she often spent alot of time alone there, aside from the housekeepers and nannies that her father employed, which usually never lasted longer than a few months due to her fathers insecurities. Thirteen bedrooms, sixteen bathrooms, and fifty acres of land which included several pools, a gymnasium and large garden. It was almost like a dream house for a toy doll, but for Rinoa, it was fifty acres of loneliness and broken memories scattered across every inch of the estate.

Despite it being her home, it felt like anything but. Home was supposed to be a warm, loving place, but it felt more like a business, and a mausoleum for a previous life...one that she viewed fondly, but was trying to forget.

"Sorry Ms. Heartilly," one of the soldiers responses, standing in a parade rest position as he blocked the door, "We are under strict orders from your father not to let you leave," he informed her, which angered her even more.

"I dont care! I am not a child! I have my rights," Rinoa stomped and demanded loudly. She new it was basically pointless to argue, but she had so much pent up frustration, that this seemed like the best way to unleash it

"Actually, technically, you are still a child," a voice from the back of the room stated causing Rinoa to turn and see the very source of that frustration, "You are my child, and will obey my rules. I let you out of my sight for five minutes and you turn Timber into a warzone," the general informed her. She had heard the buzzing of the propellers as the chooper landed on the helipad atop the roof of the mansion, but was hoping to slip out before having to see her father, who was now walking down the winding staircase in the living room. His hand traced the length of the wooden banister the entire way down, not taking his eyes off his daughter, who stormed over and met him as he finally reached the bottom.

"Timber was a warzone long before that," she shot back, pointing a finger in his face, "Maybe if you had helped liked I asked, it never would've came to that!" The general couldn't be helped but be amused by his daughters obstinacy, which was one of the few qualities she took from him.

"So passionate...but still so very naive," he said with fondness as he grazed her cheek with his hand in a condescending manner. Rinoa slapped his hand away, knowing exactly what he was doing. His tactic for dealing with her was treating her like a child, or when she was really hard to deal with, a soldier. There was no middle ground, which is why she found it hard to see him as anything but "_the general_".

"You do not understand the politics of it all. You think everything is black and white and are blind to the shades of gray. Hopefully, when you get older, you will see the foolishness of your actions over the last few days," he walked past her, still acting as if he were lecturing a ten year old who just got detention.

"I understand alot more than you think," she insisted; her father barely acknowledging her stance as he stood by the large fireplace, looking over the assortment of framed pictures atop the polished, stone mantle.

"You have to let me see my friends!" she demanded rather loudly as she walked in closer to confront her father, who still seemed only mildly interested in what she had to say.

"They are not your friends," he replied in a calm fashion, "They are paid mercenaries who were doing their job. They don't care for you...I DO!" he told her, ending with a stern glance as he turned to her. Rinoa just shook her head with a depressed gleam in her chocolate brown eyes.

"You always tell me that," her voice low and saddened as she answered, "But you've never shown it."

Caraway turned his head; the statement having a two pronged effect, as it both infuriated him and tore him apart. The general understood her position, and why she didn't feel close to him, because in reality, they weren't close. The expanse between them had only grew over the years, and while he tried to make up ground, it seemed as if every time he took a step forward, she would take to steps back.

Still, even through all of that, he didnt know how she could question how much he cared for her. He was never the best as showing it, and even admitted as much, but he thought he had done enough to at least give her the peace of mind that while he couldnt always be there for her, that she was always in his heart.

_Apparently not._

The general bowed his head and began walking towards the door; not wanting to see the hurt in Rinoa's eyes, and not wanted to let his own inner anguish be known. Once reaching the door, he stopped and turned, seeing that Rinoa had plopped down on the red leather couch, which was designed more to be appealing to the eye than it was for comfort. She had her legs curled up on the couch and her head was resting between her knees.

Reluctantly, the general decided to oblige her request.

"You can see your friend's tomorrow morning...to say goodbye," he told her, and she glanced up with no real feeling in her eyes, "When this is all over...you and I are going to have a very long talk about your future, " he informed her, to which she just returned to her original position. He didnt know why or how she have formed any type of relationship with the SeeD's and he didnt care. But he would ensure that that was last time she would be involved with SeeD, Timber or anything that put her in harm's way or reflected poorly on him.

Assuming, of course, he was still the general of the Galbadian Army beyond Tuesday evening.

* * *

**Monday, May 8th 4268/Somewhere...but Nowhere**

**2359 hrs**

_In a matter of days, he had lived centuries_.

_He hung in a limbo between life and death..._

_...between sleep and awake..._

_...between fantasy and reality._

The lines between each were so blurred he couldn't tell which was which.

What he could feel...if they could be counted as feelings at all...was fake. _Or maybe more real than anything he had ever experienced_. He didn't fucking know.

_Every thought...every dream...every last sensation_ was granted to him by her, _and her alone_. His mind and body no longer had any say in how he felt...only her. If she wanted him to feel pain; it would hurt so much, he cried..._when she allowed him to cry_. If she wanted him to feel pleasure; it was unlke nothing he ever dreamed could exist.

The room was dark...black...if it was even a room. There was nothing around him. _No sights. No sounds. _ Only a thick mist, and a large ray of light which encircled his floating form. Several feet..._maybe several miles_ above the ground, his body drifted, peaceful and still; at least on the outside.

He was as naked as he was the day he was born; symbolizing his rebirth as not just a man, but so much more. A beautiful creation sculpted in her vision, whose destiny was far greater than he could ever comprehend..._but finally, he was beginning to_.

In reality, it had only been a few days. _Maybe a week._ But reality was fleeting within the world he was currently in...at least in his mind. He felt if he lived fifty lifetimes; each one different from the next.

_She let him live his life as it was._

_She let him live his life as it could be..with her, and without her._

His life as it WAS? _Cold and alone_. No one to care for him. No one to make him feel wanted or loved. He had always convinced himself he didn't want it or need it.

_She convinced him otherwise. _

He now yearned for it...the warmth of love. The need to feel needed. The desire to be desired.

She gave it to him, and convinced him that no one else could give him that feeling, and that anyone who opposed her was only threatening to take that away from him.

To that point, he only mildly felt her presence. Like she was there, but at the same time, not. He yearned _to feel her touch. To smell her scent. To hear her voice._

And finally, his wish was granted...

"My child," the voice spoke softly, echoing angelically around him. He had finally awaken. Awakened by the voice he yearned for so long to hear. For the first time in his new form, he raised his head, heeding her call.

"It is time," the voice again spoke, as he felt his body descend slowly, "Time for you to awaken, my child, and to fulfill your destiny!"

After a few moments, his feet his solid ground for the first time and what felt like ages, and he dropped to a single knee. His other knee was raised with his elbow leaned against it, and his head resting down on his forearm. He slowly raised his head, and opened his eyes, smiling as waves of pleasure filled him with each word she spoke.

"I obey your call, and am ready to serve you, my lady," he spoke in a dedicated and extremely respectful manner.

"Your first task is simple," the voice told him, and he listened eagerly, ready to do anything she asked. "Follow the sound of my voice..." it said as her voice trailed off, but he could see hear her his mind, pulling him towards new realms of pleasure, promising him even more the with each step he took closer to her.

Finally, he began to rise from the ground, watching as the light around him was drawn towards him and soaked into his body. The energy made him feel human again, but with a higher sense of purpose.

_A purpose only he had. _

_A purpose no one would get in the way of._

"As you wish,, my lady," he promised as the last bit of light soaked into him, leaving him standing there...alone.

_His eyes were useless at the moment._

_The voice was all he needed to guide him._

* * *

This chapter was EXTREMELY hard for me to write. I had the ideas of what I wanted to do, but the words just weren't coming like they had the previous few chapters. so I apologize if I seem rusty this chapter. This was more of just a set up for the final chapters anyway.

Oh...and...ONCE AGAIN, I divided the chapters up again. The final chapter was too long so I had to split it into two parts, but I will release them both at once, so I may take a couple weeks.

Good news is, it should alot more fun to write since it will be more action oriented than the last several chapters.

I also started on the first four chapters of disk two and am in the middle of the D-District Prison escape...which , believe me...is done entirely different from the game, with...as usual...tons of bonus stuff. I still dont know if Ill end up going further than disc one...but the ideas are definitely there for future chapters.

Anyway...chapter notes and shout outs...

**Chapter Notes**

Obviously, very different from the game.

Like I said before...I never understood why a general would openly conspire to commit treason at his own home with wanted people. For a videogame I can overlook it...for a fleshed out novel...no freaking way.

Irvine right now seems like a tool, but he will begin to show his colors soon.

Always hated the "gateway team". Running through sewers to get to the gateway that for some reason wasnt guarded? I figured...in my version of the story...technology is there where they could drop it remotely. The sewer parts...which I tinkered with in my mind, just werent good.

Also...who would walk around the entire city pointing out what was going to be done? Nothing in the game made sense in the context of the story, which is why so much NEEDED to be changed for realism.

The three relationships that are taking off right now are Squalls and Rinoa's, Seifer and the Sorceress, and Deling and the sorceress.

Squall and Rinoa...obviously, a major part. Im developing it, but trying to take out alot of the cheesiness of the game and make it a real, palpable relationship between them.

Seifer and the sorceress...I feel needs to be intimate. Not just "do this, do that"

Deling and the sorceress...yeah. Needed to show the power struggle there, and that she isnt holding all the cards.

Also...Rinoa and her father...fairly straightforward in the game...but it will all come full circle if I get deeper into the story.

**Shout Outs!**

**Wintermoth:** Thanks for reading! Glad its different...thats what Im going for!

**Bebedora:** Yep...again, Irvine needed fleshed out IMO. Will get more so if this keeps moving on.

Good point about Edea...always hated that there was never any explanation of how they turned her evil. After all, being a sorceress didn't necessarily make you evil, and Edea was supposedly a very loving person.

And yes...you will see homage's to various games, shows and movies throughout. There are a few in this chappy. One is blatant...others not so much.

Mayonaka no Ame: By all means...love constructive critcism. To address them...

I 10000000% agree about the same words in the same sentence. I try hard not to do that unless I am doing it on purpose, which is rare, but I did do it a few times in this chapter.

When its unintentional, its because I simply dont catch it. Thats what sucks about having an editor. When writing chapters/stories this long, I think you need a fresh set of eyes to catch mistakes or issues the writer misses. And in my case, this is just a hobby. I write it and read over it fully ONCE. I go over it several times but only read the whole things start to bottom one time...or it would take alot longer to release because I get burnt out.

Thanks for the feedback, and hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Thats it for now**...the finale of disk one is coming soon. And its gonna be exciting and different from the game (aside from major points, obviously...well, except for one)!

Stay tuned!


	28. Chapter XXIII: Do or Die: Part One

**Chapter XXIII**

_**Do or Die: Part One**_

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Presidential Palace - Sorceress' Quarters**

**0355 hrs**

Her eyes traced the nights sky, looking for nothing more than the emptiness it carried. It was peaceful, and even as a brainwashed sorceress, Edea Kramer still found it comforting. Some human qualities within her still remained, even if most were too concealed within the shadows of her soul for her to feel. Memories of her former life still lingered as well, even if she didn't regard them with any particular fondness. Her mind continued to flash images of various individuals, albeit blurred ones of people she no longer recognized. However, one particularly vivid memory kept playing in her mind...

_She was standing on a beach in a flowing white dress, admiring the suns evanescence as it started to descend beyond the horizon, leaving streaks of orange in the pink sky. It was beautiful. A man stood beside her...smiling, with his eyes conveying a sense of affection that she couldn't even begin to comprehend. Before them stood a another man wearing a black garment, and holding a book, blessing them. Words were spoken, but were hollow, echoing and mostly inaudible. An indescribable rush washed over her, and she looked back to the man beside her, who leaned over with tears in his eyes, and placed a gentle kiss upon her lips.._

...and the dream faded.

She could feel something within her...DEEP within her desperately reaching to grab onto that memory and pull it to the surface, but ultimately was drowned out by the darkness that now consumed her.

Looking down from the darkened sky, there wasn't much too see aside from about seven heavily armed guards outside her window, ready to strike if she even tried to move beyond the perimeters of the palace. Even without her powers, she found their tactics juvenile and barbaric, but it made no difference. She had no doubt in her mind what was going to happen, as if it she already had a premonition, and was just waiting for it to play out.

After glancing down at them one last time, she smiled evilly and retreated back inside the murky room, closing the large, glass-paned, double doors behind her. As she turned, she saw something. Little bits of light peaked in from outside, leaving stretched out shadows the lines of the tiled windows along the length of the floor. The light dimly highlighted the figure of man, standing about ten feet in front of her.

She couldn't see who it was, but didnt need to. She could feel him there, just as he could feel her.

The sorceress began taking slow, lady-like steps forward, her bare feet touching the marble floor ever so gracefully. As she got closer, she could see that the young man was still naked, but his chiseled, muscular physique made him look more like a carved statue than a human. He suddenly kneeled to a knee as she got within a few steps; crossing his arm and bowing his head in respect.

"You have succeeded in your first task," she spoke softly, "...but you have much to prove still."

"What will you have me do next, my lady?" the young man with blonde hair, plainly hearing the devotion in his voice. She took a few more steps forward until she was standing right over him.

"Within this mansion, something strips me of my powers," she informed and looked down to him, "Before my speech tonight, you will find the source, and destroy it."

"As you wish, my lady," he again spoke softly, but dutifully.

The sorceress slowly leaned over to the young man, placing her index finger under his chin and slowly raised his head. His eyes slowly opened, and with the little light, could see tears in the green slits of his open eyelids. Tears of love for her...tears of devotion and longing for her approval. She grazed his face with her bare hand, as the touch he longed for what seemed like a millennia made him feel like a new person.

_She was his queen, and he would do anything she asked._

"Go now...and do not fail me," she requested softly, with a hint of strict demand.

He slowly stood up and looked at her, and pledged his undying allegiance to her...and only her.

"Never."

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Foxhound Unit Secret Underground Base - Armory**

**1254 hrs**

_How can anyone like this shit?_ ...he riddled in his head as the beverage swished within his mouth.

He hated coffee...despised it. The only reason he was forcing the _'hot liquid refuse'_ down his gullet was because he was still tired. He had used three sleep spells throughout the night to put himself down, which may sound like an instant cure for insomnia, but it wasn't without its repercussions. Between the _'dreamworld'_ bullshit, the sedative and the sleep spells, Squall hadn't had a wink of natural sleep in several days, and he could certainly feel it.

The two cold showers and three cups of caffeine-loaded java were helping, but nothing replaced a good, natural nights rest. He learned that over his intense years of training in Balamb, but fortunately, he had gotten used to functioning without it. The body never truly adapts to sleep deprivation, but with enough practice, it gets easier to ignore its side effects.

Squall sat his styrofoam cup down on the table next to him and began looking over the weapons. He was in the armory, and had been since the early morning mission review. Despite the plan seemingly being well thought out, the fact was it was pretty basic. The greatest war tacticians never tried to outthink themselves. Many wars were lost while trying to outwit the opponent instead of just devising a smart strategy.

In the end, planning was just a formality. Execution and luck would spell the difference between success and failure.

His eyes glanced over the various weaponry and various tools, trying to think of anything else that might help them on this covert operation. If everything went according to plan, the only two things really needed were Irvine's rifle and a single bullet, but Squall didn't anticipate things going down that smoothly.

They rarely did.

And SeeD's, G-Army and nearly every other military and mercenary force on the planet lived and died by the same credo... ' _'Hope for the best; prepare for the worst'_. They still weren't packing heavy, but Irvine's rifle, Squall's gunblade and various other tools had already been discreetly delivered and put in place for them at a secure location on-site. Still, Squall wanted to make sure he wasn't overlooking anything and that they were prepared for any realistic issue that might arise

Squall heard the door to the armory open behind him, assuming it to either be a G-Army soldier or possibly a member of his team, so he didn't bother to glance back to see who it was. He was done there anyway and had final briefings at 1300, so he stood up, grabbed what was left of his steaming cup of trash, and turned to leave.

Upon turning, Squall felt the cup slip in his hand a bit as he caught glimpse of the individual standing before him. He had half-expected never to see her again. She was wearing a light, green hoodie and dark blue jeans, and had her hair tied back into a pony tail with a white scrunchy.

"Squall," she called to him as she approached with a small smile decorating her otherwise concerned face.

"Rinoa? What are you doing here?" Squall questioned as he stepped forward, a bit surprised the general was allowing her to be there right before their mission was about to get underway.

"I had to see you guys," she told him as she bowed her head, with genuine care in her voice, "I wanted to stay but that man wouldn't let me. He makes me so mad!" Rinoa's emotions quickly turning to anger as she spoke of her father. Squall could see the two G-Army soldiers in the back of the room, who were most likely escorting her at her father's behest.

_Father_...Sqiuall still had a tough time swallowing that pill. Not that he ever truly understood how a parent-child relationship was supposed to function, but it didn't take an expert to understand how fucked up this one was. Rinoa was the same age as him, and basically at war with her father, both figuratively and literally. He could see the general cared for her, but her eyes did not carry mutual feelings for him.

"You should've told us," Squall informed her, feeling they had the right to know such information, and she didn't seem to disagree.

"I know. I didn't think we'd all cross paths like this." Rinoa stated while bowing her head, but then suddenly looked up to him and took another step forward, "Please, don't leave me here," she pleadingly whispered with desperation in her eyes.

"Rinoa," Squall closed his eyes and stated exasperatedly. She didn't understand what was at stake, and if she did, seemed to underestimate it or how dangerous it could be.

"Squall,", she interrupted, her voice and eyes becoming more determined, "I know you don't want me with you, but please…"

Squall didn't want her there...but not for reasons she believed. Part of him felt bad that she thought he had so little respect for her. He knew he hadn't always shown it. Hell...maybe he never did, but it wasn't the case.

Rinoa quickly glanced back at the soldiers tasked with squiring her around, reached into her inner jacket pocket, and pulled out what appeared to be a thick gold bracelet with elegant designs etched into it and a white gem in the center.

"Look...my friend works in the science department, and he showed me this," she told him, and he observed it for a moment.

"What is it?" he shrugged. He knew it was a piece of jewelry, but figured it had some other value if she was showing it to him.

"It's called an Odine Bangle...Estharian technology," she whispered, pointing to the rather large white stone in the center, "It supposedly can suppress magical ability."

"So what good is it to us?" he again shrugged, still not seeing what her point was.

"Well, I figured if we could somehow get this on her, it could make your jobs easier," she stated, seeming to get more excited as she did so. Squall was trying to be as civil and understanding as possible, but she obviously didn't think her idea through carefully.

"And how do you suggest we do that, Rinoa?" her humored her in an almost condescending manner.

"Well, I umm...hadn't really..." she stammered, clearly taken off guard by the question. Squall nodded after getting the response he pretty much expected.

"I'm sorry Rinoa, but you're in over your head," he stated with a hint of agitation in his voice, "I know you want to help, but we won't be able to protect you during this," he went on, causing her to narrow her brow and drop her hand which was holding on the bracelet.

Squall and Rinoa simply stared at each other for what was no longer than twenty seconds, but could've easily been twenty minutes. A whirlwind of various emotions swirled between them. Care, respect, longing...and at the same time, anger, confusion and frustration. She looked both depressed that he didn't want her help and agitated at his stubbornness towards her suggestion. Squall didn't feel he had the words to explain how he felt, and didn't really have the time either, so he didn't even bother trying.

"It's for the best," he stated simply with a nod, and started to walk around her. As he did, he heard Rinoa mutter something.

"I'm not as helpless as you think Squall," the volume of her statement was just barely high enough for Squall to hear as he walked away from her, but was enough to freeze him in his tracks.

_Was this really the last thought he wanted her to have of him?_ There was a very good chance that regardless of what happened that night, this would be the last time they saw each other. A successful return would likely result in a quick trip back to Balamb. Failure likely meant no return at all.

Squall took another step away from her as if he were trudging through molasses; a thick, sticky concoction of morality, emotions and regret...regret that he felt he would be burdened with if he didn't set the record straight. He wasn't good with words. He knew it..._hell, she even knew it_. And while he still had to drag his heavy bag of reluctance the entire way, he managed to start pushing the words out.

"I don't think your helpless, Rinoa," he managed to get out in singular, monotone words, and she turned to him, seeing that he had his back turned to her still. He was obviously having a tough time saying what he wanted to say, but this is what she wanted, no matter how difficult the gesture seemed for him to offer.

Suddenly he turned, and took a slow step forward, still noticeably struggling to find the right wordage to describe the complex feelings he could barely even decipher.

"In fact, I think it's actually pretty admirable what you have done to help Timber. The passion you have to help people and the care you've shown...it's something that's extremely rare in this world, and something that you should always be proud of..." he told her, and her eyes moistened more with each word he spoke, finally hearing a sense of compassion and genuineness in his voice which she hadn't heard to that point, "But the fact is, there is too much at stake this time, and we are under your father's command now. He doesn't want you to get hurt and neither d..."

Squall abruptly stopped himself, as if he realized he had just said too much. Looking closely, she could see the smallest of blushes on Squall's face...try as he might to hide it. Still, she wanted...no...**NEEDED** to hear him say what she thought he was about to say.

"What, Squall? You can say it..." she stepped in closer and placed a hand on his. For a moment, it just rested there. They both closed their eyes very briefly, if only to remember how that every so slight touch felt. Squall, however, quickly retracted his hand, which saddened Rinoa a bit, but knew she was lucky to even get any type of warmth from him.

"Like I said," he stated, cracking the smallest of smirks as he looked at her, with traces of care in his eyes, "It's for the best," he again stated, and continued walking towards the back...Rinoa frozen in place...both in shock of what he had just said and anticipation of what he was going to say. She still half-hoped that he would turn around, run back to her and finish his thought, but was realistic enough to know that would never happen.

As Squall reached the door that the two G-Army escorts were guarding, he again looked back, seeing Rinoa for what very well could be the final time. She returned his gaze as their eyes exchanged an array of emotions and feelings. The truth was, though, Squall wasn't sure what he was feeling. He respected her and didn't want to see her get hurt..._but was that really it? Was it really just a strong relationship with a client? Or was it deeper? Was it beyond his understanding...beyond both of theirs? Or maybe she did understand it and wanted him to figure it out on his own?_

One half of Squall really wanted the answer to that question, if only just to know it.

The other half told Squall to man the fuck up, and stay focused on the objective, which was his job.

At the moment, the later won out...relatively easily. He was a professional and needed to act like it. He slowly pulled his eyes away from Rinoa and walked out the door, leaving her standing in the armory with two soldiers, and a room full of deadly weapons and uncertainty.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City - Liberty Hall**

**1543 hrs**

Galabdian soldiers dressed in various uniforms, ranging from full military dress for the higher ranking officers, to casual military dress and battle dress for lower enlisted and security littered the hallways of Liberty Hall, which was three blocks east from the presidential palace. Aside from being used as a military courthouse and political administration office, it was also used for various military and city events. On this day, it was being used by the Galbadian Army to prepare for the city-wide parade later that night.

Zell, along with two of Caraway's men arrived about half an hour earlier, fully dressed in Galbadian Army battle gear as they were assigned to parade security detail. The two soldiers accompanying the SeeD made it clear they didn't care for him as they pretty much ignored him the entire trip, but Zell didn't really mind. He was there to do a job, and after it was over, would likely never see them again anyway.

There were at least a thousand soldiers in that area of the building alone and from what he was told, there would be close to five thousand Galbadian troops at the parade. As long as he didn't do anything to draw attention, he was going to be fine, given that G-Army soldiers came in many different shapes and sizes from various locations around the globe. But he still couldn't help but feel nervous being in the middle of a swarm of what were essentially enemy soldiers.

The main problem Zell was having at the moment was the helmet he was issued was too big for his head, and kept sliding around and digging into his sensitive scalp. He couldn't even tighten the strap to his face because it was so oversized. After about twenty minutes of looking for some type of solution to his problem, he finally stumbled upon a large locker room area, which had a large assortment of extra uniforms and helmets. He entered quietly, passing two Galbadian soldiers who didn't give him a second look. The room seemed to be empty, so he deemed it safe to enter.

He looked over a large assortment of different helmets, but most were larger than the one he already had on, or ridiculously small to the point they seemed like they were designed for little kids. The few that were his size didn't work right, since the Tri-Sight goggles on them were either malfunctioned or didn't work at all.

Just as he was about to give up and make do with the oversized helmet, he finally put on one that fit rather comfortably; the only issue being that the strap didn't quite reach to the other side, and try as he might, couldn't adjust the strap length. As he continued in his efforts, from the corner of his eye he noticed there was another soldier at the end of the room. He appeared to be wearing a green Viper uniform and was leaning over tying his boots.

Zell was trying to avoid contact with anyone, but was fairly confident that this one soldier wouldnt make him out, so he made his way past several rows of lockers and towards the soldier in seek of assistance. The man suddenly stood up with his back turned to Zell, and snapped his helmet on rather easily. Zell could barely see as only a few sections of lights were turned on within the large locker room, but as the man prepared to leave, Zell called out to him.

"Yo, dude," he called out and the soldier froze but did not turn as Zell trotted up next to him, "Could you help me with this strap? Can't seem to get this damn thing on," he stated as he continued to tug at the strap.

The man, who had an easy half-foot on Zell turned, and looked down, his mouth opening a bit as he caught glimpse of the young blonde with the tattooed face. Zell looked up and waited for a reaction. The locker room fell awkwardly silent, with the only sounds coming from voices echoing into the room from the hallway.

Zell began to tense when the soldier before him just stared at him with no real reaction. He couldn't see his eyes to get a sense of the emotion they might've been conveying, but Zell clenched his fist...ready to throw down if the Viper tried to attack.

Suddenly, the man nodded and reached his hands out for Zell to give him the helmet. Zell unballed his fist and handed the Viper the heavy helmet, but was still on his guard and he watched the man, who effortlessly adjusted the strap; Zell chalking it up to the man having years of experience in messing with them.

Without warning or words, the Viper placed the helmet on Zell's head, and smacked the top of the helmet three times to make sure it was on tight and then pulled the helmet down hard on Zell's head. He then smacked it three more times, pretty damn hard, to the point where Zell ducked from the blows.

"Easy dude, it's on...damn!" Zell insisted as he rose back to a full standing position, and the Viper then grabbed the helmet strap and fastened it, and pulled it extremely tight, which again hurt and annoyed Zell, but he remained quiet. The soldier gave him two more hard taps on the head for good measure. Zell wanted nothing more than to return the gesture, but didn't want to risk making attention, so he quietly calmed himself and refrained.

After a moment, the soldier again nodded, indicating Zell was good to go. Zell shook the helmet, noticing there was no wobble and that the helmet was secure and fit well. Despite the tightness of the strap now, Zell smiled.

"There we go! Thanks man! Owe ya one," he stated happily through almost clenched teeth, and the other soldier finally spoke.

"Yeah you do..." the man replied in grumbling manner. The voice sounded a bit familiar to Zell, but not enough to really make him think twice. He just nodded in acknowledgement, turned and began to make his way towards the front entrance. However, as he was walking away, he swear he heard something else...

"_Chicken shit..." _but when Zell turned, to look, no one was there, and just assumed he heard wrong or imagined it. With that, he shrugged, turned and proceeded to leave the locker room.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City - St. Ludwig's Church**

**1608 hrs**

Hymns and piano chords blared inside the massive cathedral as the small ceremony concluded. It was not a mass, but rather an induction into the Hyne Martholodist faith. The priest stepped down from the alter, and turned back to the immense statue of Hyne to offer his final benedictions, before following the procession through the middle isle and out of the back doors.

Several members of the faith still remained in the large mosque; most shrouded in heavy, brown robes with long hoods, which most members of that particular faith wore within masses and ceremonies. However, most had begun clearing out and only a handful of people remained in the pews, praying and asking their god for good grace in such troubling times.

In the center of the church, two men dressed in the familiar garments stood up and slowly walked out from the pews and towards the front of the mosque. The proceeded to exit from a side door, which was usually off limits to average churchgoers, but there was no one really around to notice. The door led outside and almost immediately diverged into three paths. One path led to the outdoor shrine and holy fountain, one path led to the priests rectory, and the northern path led to the churches bell tower, which was widely known throughout Galbadia as the largest standing religious structure on the entire continent. The top offered a far reaching view over pretty much the entire city. The sight was magnificent, even if only a few people ever got to enjoy it.

After a few minutes of following the gravelly path northward, the two men finally reached the doors to the inner sanctuary of the bell tower. Two armed Galabdian soldiers stood in front of it, looking mean and gruff as usual. The cloaked men raised their heads, but did not remove their hoods which concealed their faces. The soldiers simply stared over the two men for about a minute, until one finally turned and unlocked the door. As the soldier held the door open, the two men slowly walked inside, hearing the door close behind them quickly.

Upon entering, they were all but blinded by the darkness of the bottom floor, with the only light coming from a large window a few levels above. There was a long, stone staircase off to the right, and the bottom level seemed to be somewhat of a storage area for the church as various cardboard boxes and supplies were organized neatly along the walls. The two men didn't waste much time and began their trek upwards. They ventured up the first set of steps, which led to another, and another and another. The steps seemed endless as they zig-zagged vertically for about forty-four flights until finally reaching the top and coming upon another locked door. One of the men took out a key and unlocked it quickly, and both made their way inside. On the other side of the door, they were greeted by the bright, heated rays of the overhanging sun in the distance. The top level was quite large with alot of standing room, and the rusted, black bell hung overhead at the very top of the tower, with loudspeakers surrounding it for amplification purposes.

"Damn," one of the cloaked men finally stated as he began peeling the layers off his body and removed the garments, "These things are hotter than a southern Galbadian blonde in a string bikini," the young western Galbadian named Irvine Kinneas stated. A salty coat of sweat had formed on his face and around his neck after the long hike in the hot clothing. Underneath, Irvine was wearing mission appropriate clothing, which in this case consisted of dark, lightweight fabrics, including a long sleeve black turtleneck, gloves and a black bandana with his hair tied neatly in the back.

The other figure followed suit and removed the clothing and tossed them in a heap on the ground. He too was sticky with perspiration, but didn't complain about it. He was wearing similar clothing to Irvine, but instead of the turtleneck was wearing a tight fitting, black V-neck t-shirt. He brushed his hair from his eyes and looked to the far side, seeing a large black storage locker that looked oddly out of place. He walked over and quickly opened it, seeing an array of weapons and devices including binoculars, radios, Irvine's sniper rifle, and of course...

"Yo Squall...that your baby?" Irvine asked the SeeD, who was holding his trusty gunblade in hand. Squall was hoping he wouldn't have to use it that night, but even in the most peaceful situations, felt more secure with it at his side. Revolver was one of the only sources of trust Squall had in the world, even if it was an inanimate object. Fucked up as it was, his blade was probably the closest thing he had to a friend. _ One he could rely on. One that would protect him and be at his side when he needed it most. _ Even Squall knew it was pathetic, but that's how he felt.

He sat the blade back inside the locker for the time being and proceeded to grab a radio and pair of binoculars and made his way to the other side of the tower. In the distance, the towering structures of Downtown Deling City could be seen, although most people were probably making their way towards the Political District for the celebration. All streets within six blocks of the parade route were blocked off, and only allowing taxies and special shuttles to drop people off.

St. Ludwig's Church was in an upper class residential area about ten blocks south from the palace. Squall raised the digital binoculars and adjusted the settings, giving him a high def view of the top balcony of the palace, where Deling gave most of his usually bullshit packed speeches about the impending era of harmony and how the citizens of Galbadia were the number one priority. His contrived annual speeches were usually just slightly modified versions of the year before...same lies, just different wordage.

This year would likely be no different.

He then veered the direction of his vision towards the North Gateway on Aeris Blvd and again adjusted the lens to get a proper view. There were spectator fences posted along the streets and sidewalks, and could see various decorations and attractions such as floats and pyrotechnic displays getting last minute fixes. Trailing his view upward, he spotted the stylish and immense arced tunnel where the mission would hopefully end later that evening. The area was pretty calm at the moment, aside from some Deling City Police Department patrols and presidential security inspecting and securing the parade area, which they would likely be doing every second of every minute of every hour until the parade.

After seeing that they had the view they needed, Squall dropped his binoculars under his neck, adjusted the radio attached to his side to the proper frequency, and slipped on the small bluetooth headset.

"Team Ricochet, this is Team Stryker," he spoke, but only heard faint buzzing noise for a moment, "We are in position," he finished, before the line cleared a he heard a familiar voice on the other end.

"Did you locate the onsite procurement package?" the female Squall recognized as Quistis' voice questioned.

"In hand," he affirmed, looking over at Irvine who was sifting through the locker like a child in a toybox.

"Maintain an open channel, but limit radio communication. You are on standby until 2000 hours," Qustis spoke and the signal seemed to fade. It was important that they not risk their frequency and conversation being intercepted, so communication was restricted for emergencies and important status updates only.

Looking down at his digital watch, Squall noticed they still had nearly four hours before the parade was slated to begin. Presidential secret service was set to do city-wide sweeps beginning at 1700, so they had to be on post before that to avoid the risk of being spotted, no matter how unlikely it may have been.

Squall turned and leaned over the ledge that overlooked the city. As always, he enjoyed such enthralling views, and figured he may as well enjoyed the current serenity while it lasted, as it was going to be short lived. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to capture the view within his mind for later recollection. He couldn't help but think of all the events that led him to that very moment, and what they all meant. He knew his life would get crazier once becoming a SeeD, but never did he expect to be in such a situation a mere week after putting on the pin for the very first time.

"Well, I'll be..." Irvine stated in a quelled state of excitement. snapping Squall out of his momentary moment of reflection. He had opened a long black case which included the various parts of his sniper rifle, and seemed very pleased with what he was looking at.

"A Mark 4 Widowmaker, Carbon Fiber EBR...maybe the best damn long ranged puppy on the market.." he again breathed out, as if he was a little kid on Christmas who just got his first _Red Rider BeeBee Gun_. Irvine seemed like he needed a bib more than anything else to catch all the droll. He was holding the long black barrel of the rifle in one hand, and the handle in the other, looking eager to piece it all together.

"Have you ever used one before?" Squall asked as he crouched down, looking over the weapon Irvine seemed so fond of, "Wouldn't want you to shoot your eye out," he finished in a half-joking manner, but Irvine shrugged him off.

"Naw, but it'll be fine," he assured Squall with a smirk and then looked up at him, "See Squall...think of it as a woman. It has its own unique characteristics, but just let me feel it up a little and..." Irvine continued, but Squall stopped Irvine mid sentence before he could get any more graphic with his somewhat inappropriate comparison.

"Thanks...that'll do," Squall stated as he raised a hand, and Irvine winked to signify his jest.

Squall closed his eyes, and couldn't help but wonder if Irvine was indeed the right man for the job. It wasn't his aim that Squall really questioned, but his confidence...or rather, _overconfidence_ that concerned him. While poise was definitely a plus, his lassitude was not. He had absolutely no modesty in his ability, and from his experience with Seifer over the years, Squall knew that could often lead to ruinous results.

There was nothing he could do, though. He just had to trust, and hope, that Martine and Caraway didn't place their faith, and possibly the faith of the world, in the hands of the wrong cowboy.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Presidential Palace's - Sorceress' Quarters**

**1626 hrs**

The Sorceress stood before her dress for the ceremony, admiring its exquisiteness. It was mainly just an altered version of the slim fitting dress that she was presented when she first met the president, but was crested with small diamonds, which were absorbed the colors of the dark purple satin and made it sparkle majestically. The most elegant feature, however, was the golden ensemble that would adorn her back. It was an elegant backpiece that was fan-shaped and started from her mid back and extended evenly about arms length to both sides and rounded elegantly upwards like a rainbow, with golden protrusions at each vertex. It was covered in various colored rubies and sapphires, and from the bottom hung a diaphanously white cloak that extend nearly to the ground.

She ran her fingers along the soft fabric, closing her eyes and she imagined it touching her skin. It was the perfect attire for taking her rightful place at the head of the nation of Galbadia, and eventually the entire, pitiful, rodent infested planet. _As she saw it, anyway._

She heard the door open behind her, but did not turn. She didn't need to. _He was part of her, and she of him_. But before she could truly claim him as her trusted protector, he had to prove himself worthy of the honor. Without turning, she spoke.

"What news do you have for me, boy? My powers are still contained within these walls," she told him, wasting no time in getting to the point.

"Your powers shall be returned to you soon, my lady," he assured her with confidence, "But there may be another problem," he spoke. She was not worried as her eyes were still fixed on the dress, but she was curious.

"What problem do you speak of?" she questioned, evenly but demandingly.

"I saw someone that leads me to believe your life could be in danger," he informed her immediately. Even if true, she was not even the least bit concerned. If he accomplished his task; there was hardly anything even an army of mortals could do to stop her, and she wouldn't be foolish enough to trust another mortal again, aside from her knight, who would be granted immortality.

"Return my powers, and there will be no threat," she insisted to him, and only heard a pause for a moment, but he quickly sounded off again.

"Yes, my lady, but if I may...I have an idea," he informed her. She was not particularly interested in any of his ideas or plans. A knights job was not to question his queen's orders or suggest any to her, but rather to follow her lead and abide to her wisdom. Still, if he was to her knight she had to trust him, and if his 'plan' proved to be ill-conceived, she felt she could dispose of him and replace him.

She turned; her entrancing golden's locking with his gleaming jades...

"Speak your mind, boy..."

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Cherry Mountain, Deling City Palisades - Caraway Mansion**

**1632 hrs**

"I'm sorry Ms. Heartilly," the soldier stated respectfully as he opened her bedroom door as two of her dad's men escorted her, "But your father doesn't want you leaving your room for the rest of the night. If you get hungry or need anything, we will bring it up to you," he informed her, and hoped that she wouldn't have the same flaring temper as her father.

"That's alright," Rinoa replied, surprisingly calm, "I'm not feeling very good. I think I'll just like down the rest of the night," she finished with a yawn and stretched. The soldier blinked, almost shocked by how cordial she was being.

"Okay, well...we'll be right outside if you need anything," he assured her with a small smile, which she returned, with a nod.

"Thanks," she stated tiredly as the door closed, hearing the soldier locking the door from the outside...one of her father's methods when trying to keep her in line. If he spent more time with Rinoa, he would've know how resourceful she was, and how adept she had become at escaping his controlling grasp.

Both of the keys to her escape rested within her closet.

One was a lifelike mechanized manikin, much like the one the Forest Owl's created in the model of Vinzer Deling. She had one made especially for this purpose; to sneak out of the house to get away from her father's '_babysitters_'. It worked like a charm the two times she used it before, although they were both merely used to sneak out with friends, not to go fuck with a ruthless killer like the sorceress had proven to be.

She set the doll up in the bed and placed the covers over her. The downside was that this 'doll' was not as realistic as the one they created for Deling, so if anyone got close enough could tell it was not her, or even a human at all. It also only had three automated responses, so any specific questions would lead to it being discovered as well. Still, she only needed it to hold up long enough to get her off the grounds of the estate.

The other key to freedom was a small crawl space in the very back of her closet that her father was never aware of. She discovered it when she was much younger, and she used to sneak in there to cry and be alone, but came to find out that it actually led into the vents, which down into the storage den, where there was an emergency escape hatch which fed into an underground tunnel and into a small, abandoned playground about three blocks away. Her father had it installed when he became general in case their home was ever attacked, but he never intended for Rinoa to use it like this.

Rinoa had also stolen a techno-magic bracelet from her father's desk a few months earlier, which was outfitted with a red orb of Fire Materia. She only used it one time before and nearly set herself ablaze, but figured it might come in handy. She made she had the Odine Bangle as well, figuring the sorceress would be helpless without her powers. After ensuring she had everything, walked into the closet, closed the door, and opened the small hatch into the crawl space.

"Sorry Jonothan," she muttered, "But a girl's gotta grow up sometime," Rinoa gave a half sarcastic, metaphorical apology to her father.

She didn't want to be viewed as a little girl anymore.

More than that, she didn't want to feel like one anymore, either.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Presidential Palace - Security Office**

**1917 hrs**

The long narrow room had nearly fifty small monitors built into the walls on both sides of the room. Most displayed various areas within the mansion and other sections of the presidential grounds. The securty team watched the monitors intently, and checked various other security measures to ensure they were all in place and working properly. Of course, with all the extra security for the parade, there was no way anyone was getting onto the grounds or into the palace without being detected, but they werent taking any chances.

There were seven enlisted Galabadian MP's, two Galabdian Vipers, two Deling City police officers and three members of the president's private security in the room, watching closely over the monitors to make sure everything was going smoothly and that there was no suspicious activity. Thus far, the only issues were overly-rowdy citizens boozed up on alcohol, which was expected.

Without warning, there was a knock on the door, which put everyone on immediate alert. No one in the room had been notified of someone coming there, which usually meant unauthorized access. One of the Vipers and the three secret service officers readied their weapons as one of the members of the presidential security opened the door quickly.

"Freeze!" the agent in the black suit demanded as soon as the door opened. A seemingly stunned Galbadian Viper in full battle gear raised his hands in the air upon seeing several firearms pointed directly at him, ready to pump his guts full of lead if he made one wrong move.

"What are doing in here!?" the agent loudly demanded as he slowly waved the Viper into the room; his head in center of several crosshairs.

"Sorry, I'm a little lost. I was just transferred here," he spoke with evident fear and bewilderment in his voice, "...but I have a message from the president!" he told them, sounding urgent.

"Well, what is it?" one of the Vipers asked with a shrug. The solider looked around the room, breathing a bit heavily in uneasiness as he swallowed deeply and spoke again.

"Is this where that nifty magical suppressing equipment is?"

"This is where we control it from," the agent answered the Vipers question quickly, but just raised another question. "Why?"

"Because there is an order to shut it down, immediately!" the Viper replied, sounding a bit more frantic as he looked around the room.

"What!? We were told not to shut it down under any circumstances while the sorceress is on the premises!" he shouted at the soldier who jumped a bit, "Under whose authority?" the agent questioned, holding the gun closer to the Viper's head...demanding answers.

The Viper was still shaking in fear and was hesitating to answer. The agents were getting itchy trigger fingers and the Vipers were growing more suspicious as well. Before the agent was able to demand answers again, the soldiers posture suddenly went from cowering over to upright, he stopped shaking, and looked right at the agent through his heavy metal helmet.

"Mine!" he stated as he placed his right hand on the barrel of the agents gun and his left arm sprung forward with an open palm. A current of pink energy flowed through the agent and throughout the entire rooms, coursing through every single individual present.

The Viper suddenly let go of the agents gun, and began looking at everyone in the room; none of which whom were speaking or moving. Every single muscle in their bodies was completely stiffened and frozen in the state they were in the moment the pink energy touched them. The Viper unfastened the chinstrap to his helmet and slowly removed it, revealing the scarred face of a young blonde, who was looking down at the helmet in displeasure.

"Uhh...these fuckin' helmets are uncomfortable," he griped, heaving it to the side, with the metal headgear smashing into and cracking two of the small wall monitors, and then crashing down onto another piece of equipment within the room. The blonde man then looked at the agent who was questioning him and proceeded to reach for the man's pistol, which was still pointed at his head.

"I'll take that if you don't mind," the blonde stated, as he moved the agents finger off the trigger and pulled the gun from his hand, feeling the slight tremors of the man's muscles as he attempted desperately to move, but could not. The young man winked at the agent, and then looked down at the pistol, which had a silencer screwed onto it.

"Whet-dddid-yyoou-ddo-tto-usssh?" the agent managed to blab out through his closed mouth, not even able to work his jaw muscles and barely his tongue. The blonde acted sarcastically confused for a moment, and then reacted as if he just realized what the agent was referring to.

"Oh that," the blonde pointed and nodded, "Don't worry, it wears off in about 10 minutes," he told the agent with a big smile, just before raising the silenced gun to the agent's forehead and pulling the trigger. Blood sprayed out the back of his head and onto the screens behind him, but his body remained standing upright in its still frozen state.

The blonde strolled through the small throng of agents and soldiers that gathered by the door with firearms drawn, and began scanning the room. He could see the fear in the eyes of his captives as he passed them, even if their bodies couldn't react accordingly.

"Now..." he shouted, raising the silenced 9mm pistol and plugging one of the sitting soldiers in the back of the head as he walked by, "Does someone want to tell me how to turn off that pesky magic equipment? Or do I have to keep killing people?" he asked loudly, and almost immediately heard several loud mumbles from soldiers who were willing to answer his query.

The blonde got his answer, and promptly powered down the magical suppression equipment.

He followed that by thanking everyone in the room with a single bullet.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/****Presidential Palace's - Sorceress' Quarters**

**1939 hrs**

Rinoa rubbed her hands together nervously she stood behind the security railing that had been set up along the Deling Blvd. for the parade. The presidential palace stood before her, as it had for the previous hour and a half. She arrived early in hopes that she might be able to find a way inside, but security was extremely heavy from the moment she showed up, and was only picking up as the time passed before the speech was to begin.

A sea of people of had formed outside the palace, probably nearing close to a million at that point, with more piling in. She kept her head down and hood up she continued to seek a way inside, getting bumped and nudged as inconsiderate citizens attempted to get closer to the front of the crowd. Rinoa usually didn't tolerate such rudeness, but given the circumstances, decided to just ignore it.

If front of the mansion, there were a swarm of vehicles and various people. Most were cops and presidential security, but there were a few media vans and reporters getting a supervised close up of the mansion and being told where they could shoot the interviews from. Some of the major networks and publications in attendance were given special privileges to get better shots, but there were reporters and photographers scattered all over the place that had to make due.

In the distance, drumbeats and trumpet blares could be heard, which was likely just practice for the parade that was set to follow the speech. The ballooning crowd continued to roar louder with hodgepodge of conversations, screaming children, crying babies and other unidentifiable noises. Huge, abstractly shaped and odd colored floats could be seen in the distance, hanging high in the air, just below the darkening sky as the sun slowly set over the city.

Rinoa looked down at her at her watch..._only 20 minutes left_. She had to get in, knowing full well she would never get close to the sorceress after the speech or during the parade. The raven-haired young lady was not completely aware of the technical aspects of the plan; only that sometime during the parade, the SeeD's were going assassinate the sorceress. Her father was unwilling to include her in the scheme, but she was determined to at least TRY to help.

Not so much helping _him_; but moreso her new found SeeD friends.

In the midst of thought, Rinoa heard a loud ruckus about twenty yards to her right, and leaned over the metal rail to catch a glimpse. There were many anti-Sorceress protestors within the mob of people, waving signs and chanting rants about their feelings. Most were faded and lost amongst the large turnout, but a few had managed to work their way to the front and even hopped the rail and began trying to gain support for their cause.

Presidential security and police officers in the immediate area began making their way over, which finally gave Rinoa a small opening. She felt a knot in her stomach, and was subconsciously hoping someone would stop her, because she knew how dangerous it was. But she also knew that being afraid simply proved her father right, and that seemed like a worse fate.

Quickly, she moved the section of the security rail outward and walked out from behind it. She could hear faint mumbles and people from the crowd asking her what the hell she was doing. She paid no attention as she simply kept her head down and made a quick, but unrushed pace towards to palace gates. She weaved through the vehicles on the road, hoping that they would provide some sort of protection from the views of any unwanted onlookers.

The front gate was now within ten feet, and she could feel her chest tightening and heart beating with each step she took closer. She glanced back, noticing that security was still trying to neutralize the situation and watched as additional police cars and a riot control squad drove up. She quickened her paced as she neared the pristine black steel of the palace gates, which had a golden Galbadian crest on both parts of the double fence. She took one last look backwards as she stepped through, and a deep breath, hoping it was not the last one she would take outside the walls of the palace.

Once breaching the inner perimeter, she glanced around. The first thing she noticed was the beautiful granite fountain about ten yards in front of her, which consisted of sculptured baby-angels holding up a bowl, with a stream of water spraying up from that bowl. She knew that going in through the front door was likely suicide, so she crossed the freshly cut lawn as she headed towards the east side of the palace. Noticing a set of outer steps that led to second floor level of the outer balcony, she made haste in that direction, but gasped as a man in a black suit jumped in her way with his pistol drawn.

"Hold it!" he ordered with one hand held up to stop her and his other wrapped tightly around the gun handle and trigger, "Just where do you think you're going, girlie? This area is off limits! We have permission to shoot trespassers on site!"

Rinoa felt a sinking feeling and her heart skipped as she looked at the gun, and then watched as a soldier dressed in a G-Army uniformed came down the steps with his assault rifle locked on her.

"Sorry..." she managed to get out in heavy breaths, "I came here to offer my respects to the sorceress," she told the men as she blinked repeatedly; her eyes burning with fear. The agent stepped closer, putting the barrel right next to her forehead. Rinoa felt as if she were about to pass out.

"I could kill you right, now," he spoke, acting like some sort of god that controlled her fate, and in that moment, he was. Rinoa couldnt even think straight at the moment She realized that maybe she was in over her head as Squall had told her. She was a strong willed person and tough in many ways, but in the end, she wasn't a soldier, and not accustomed to dealing with such high pressure situations.

"Hey," the G-Army soldier stated as if he just realized something, and lowered his weapon a bit, "Don't I know you?" Rinoa couldn't see the soldiers face and didn't recognize his voice, but was known by many of her father's men throughout the continent.

"Umm, maybe..." she stuttered out, taking another deep breath as she removed her hood, revealing her entire face, "I'm General Caraway's daughter. I just..."

"The General?" the soldier cut her off, and even the agent lowered his gun a bit, but still high enough that it was on her, "Hold on a second," the Galbadian MP stated as he took a step back, and sounded like he was talking to someone. Rinoa figured that the soldier may have been contacting her father, and in that case, the jig was up, and while she would likely be safe, her father was going to make her like a veritable hell when all was said and done.

After a moment, the soldier walked up and nodded, "You can pass," he told her, to both her surprise and the agent's.

"What?" the agent lowered his gun completely and asked the soldier in surprise. Rinoa's eyes widened, realizing that it couldn't have been her father that authorized it.

"She has clearance to enter," the soldier informed the agent with a small shrug, and waved Rinoa towards him, "Ill escort you to the sorceresses private quarters," he stated politely. Rinoa took a few slow, suspicious steps forward, still a bit apprehensive about how she was granted access, but she had no choice but to push on, so she calmed herself, put on her bravest face, and followed the soldier.

They proceeded to make their way up the outer staircase, and then continued inside to another set of stairs until reaching the third floor. Most of the lights within the mansion were turned off, with the only light being from what little light there was reaming outside that was able to find its way into the halls. Rinoa followed close behind the soldier so not to get lost, but within about a minute, were standing before a set of double doors, when the soldier turned to Rinoa.

"She is just inside," he explained softly, raised an arm towards the door, and stepped to the side, giving Rinoa permission to enter. She was reluctant, but knew it was too late to turn back now. She nodded, and the solder proceeded to leave her, most likely returning to his post. For a moment, Rinoa considered running and possibly even contacting her father, but bit her lip in resolve. This was the only way. To help her friends and to help her own cause, albeit in different ways.

Silently, and even a bit creepily, the door opened, revealing what seemed to be the light of hundreds of small, flickering flames filling the huge room. Sheer, white curtains flowed down from the ceiling, which were so thin they were nearly transparent. The balcony door towards the back of the room was wide open, as a small breeze wafted inside, pulling the small flames of the candles in different directions and causing the light-fabric curtains to dance on the gentle zephyrs of air.

"Hello…" Rinoa softly called out, seeing what appeared to be the outline of a woman standing on a balcony. The figures head raised a bit, but she did not turn. Rinoa waited a moment for any further reaction, but upon seeing there wasn't, continued forward.

"Umm, excuse me?" she stated, trying to sound respectful, even if her ultimate intentions were not, "Hello. I am the daughter of, um…General Caraway, of the…Galbadian Army." Rinoa stuttered out, not able to mask that nerves in her voice no matter how hard she tried. She reached into her pocket, grasping the specialized piece of jewelry, hoping to present it as a token of good will, although it was the exact opposite.

"I ahh, just wanted to…pay my respects. You know, 'cause of my father and all. I-I brought you a gift. S-sort of a, welcoming gift. I'd be honored…if you'd…accept," Rinoa stammered out. She kept moving forward, despite the omnipotent feeling deep within her that something bad was going to happen, and she was not far off.

As Rinoa came within several feet of the woman on the balcony, a powerful wind swept the room; covering her eyes as the powerful rush of air hit her face. The wind blew every curtain in the room high into the air, and was powerful enough to extinguish every flame in the room. Rinoa peaked her eyes from behind her arm, seeing the woman's extremely long, jett-black hair blowing straight back with the force of the winds, glinting from artificial light on the balcony. Shockingly, she watched as the hair began to glow bright red, and seemed to inexplicably be shortening, and pulled towards the woman until every last inch of hair was concealed under her headdress, which Rinoa couldn't quite see.

With that, the wind suddenly stopped, and Rinoa looked around in the now almost completely dark room; the faint light allowing her to see the curtains fall softly back into place. The light also allowed her to notice that the woman on the balcony had turned around and was looking right at her. It was indeed the sorceress, with her glowing golden eyes, she locked onto Rinoa with a looming stare that causing a chill to run the entire length of Rinoa's spine.

Rinoa took a step back, and the sorcerss stepped forward. Another step back, and then another step forward. Again..and again...and again. Rinoa swallowed and breathed heavily as she looked to her left and then her right, not sure what to do next. The sorceress smirked at Rinoa's uneasiness, and then finally spoke.

"Are you afraid of the dark, little girl?" she questioned darkly with condescension tickling her tone, as she wave her hand, and ever candle in the room relit, each flame being brighter than they were before. This startled Rinoa as her breathing became heavier, and she looked back to the sorceress who was still approaching.

"You would have been wise not to come here." the sorceress warned, taking Rinoa off guard.

"Huh," Rinoa questioned nervously, as the fear was even beginning to effect her muscles and joints, which felt as if they were hardening. She wanted to help, but realized the sorceress was absolutely right. And so was Squall, and to an extent, even her father.

"I just came to give my best wishes. I'll leave you alone," Rinoa bowed her head in respect and then turned, and made a dash towards the door, which slammed with force before she could reach it. She tried to open them, but had no luck.

"Your voice..." the woman spoke with her words echoing frighteningly around the room. Rinoa turned, noticing the woman suddenly standing within five feet of her, and let out a scream of shock as she pressed her back flat up against the door she was trying to escape from. "It trembles in fear...as it should," she stated as she took another step forward.

Despite how scared she was, Rinoa gathered enough sense to reach into her pocket in an attempt to grab the Materia Bracelet to defend herself, but before she could, both of her arms were extended outwardly, and she felt as her body was raised in the air along the length of the door. Rinoa cried out when she realized she couldn't move, but the only person who could hear to pleas was the sorceress, who seemed to take a sick pleasure in.

Rinoa's body began to descend, but she still couldn't move, and as her feet touched the ground, her brown eyes met with the sorceress', who actually looked beautiful, in an utterly terrifying sort of way.

"Worry not, child," she told Rinoa, as her hand glided up and the back of her hand began to graze Rinoa's left cheek. As she continued to do so, Rinoa felt every last bit of fear within her melted away; with the sorceress' eyes and soft touch making her feel as calm as possible, dissolving every single worry within her being until all that was left was a peace she had never felt before.

Rinoa moved freely once again, and was no longer scared of the sorceress, but rather felt drawn to her like a moth towards the light. She stepped towards the sorceress with her eyes fluttering in delight, who again brushed Rinoa's cheek.

"You shall live long enough to see the new era begin," the sorceress whispered to her calmly, causing Rinoa to smile, and reach her hand up to meet the warming hand on her cheek. A caring motherly touch which she hadn't felt in so long.

She never wanted to let go.

* * *

Haha...so...I decided YET AGAIN to divide the chapter up. I didnt relaize how desciptive these last few chapters would be and didnt want to make them TOO LONG.

But, the 2nd part of this chapter will likely be out by this weekend or early next week and the last part will be out by next weekend before school starts back up.

**Chapter Notes**

Again...alot changed...and alot more coming. I try to make changes I feel are necessary to make it more real, but at the same time keep it true to the game. I feel like I am doing that, but readers may feel differently.

**Seifer and the Sorceress**: I have the make the bond be felt by the reader. I also want Edea to be a character you grow to hate, and then care about later in the story (if I go that far). Seifer will get alot more focus than he does in the game as well. With as much as he meant to the game, he didnt get much focus after the first disc aside from the few fights and cameos.

**Rinoa and Squall**: Another step in THEIR direction. Doesnt truly take off until disk 2 and 3, but I feel like this, and this final chapter sets them up well going forward.

**Irvine and Zell**: Bothl are comic reliefs in the game and will be in this story too, but I also want to flesh them on a bit, which will happen as the story goes on. Wont spend TONS of time doing it, but I want the reader to connect with them more than you do in the game.

**Realism**: As stated, the game does alot of things laughably unrealistic, which is fine for the game...but for the story, Im not going to take shortcuts. This is supposed to felt like a rushed Mission Impossible mission.

**Rinoa scenes**: Had to have her locked up in a different way and find a different way out. Hated that part of the game and everything about was pretty lame. Hence the changes, but trying to stay true to plot points.

In the game, Rinoa sneaks into the mansion with relative ease but climbing some conveniently placed crates. Haha...again...okay for game, but not for this story.

Lots more changes coming...hope you get behind them!

**Shout OUTS!**

**Dragoon Swordsman**: Thanks for reading! This is more of a grittier realistic take on the game, so things had to be changed. Peptuck's novel...the Gunblade Saga...is much truer to the game. I wanted to do something different from his, and also give the reader some surprises. Nothing will be changed dramatically in terms of major plot points, but I also want readers to feel like they are reading a FF8 novel, and not just reading a description of the game. See the realism part of the chapter notes to see what I mean.

And yes...Foxhound is definitely Metal Gear. I put many homages to various games, shows, movies, books ,etc... in my writing.

**Wintermoth**: Glad you like the differences. I know I do! ;)

**Bebedora**: Nice review! Yeah...as stated, I try to flesh out some of the relationships or things in the game that may have went unnoticed or unexplained. Most fans of FF8 love it because the game draws you into the characters. I am just trying to take that a step further.

Until next chapter...which isnt far off. Have alot of it written, just cut off for length purposes. Stay tuned...

**THE END IS NEAR!**


	29. Chapter XXIV: Do or Die: Part Two

**Chapter XXIV**

_**Do or Die: Part Two**_

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Balamb Garden - Headmaster Cid's Office**

**1955 hrs**

The man's hand quivered as he poured the drink; the single malt flowing from the crystalline decanter into the glass atop the small mini bar. His vision was blurred and his coordination decreased with even drop of alcohol that entered his bloodstream, which was now a red river of aged scotch. In the recent hour, he had consumed seven full glasses of the liquor, hoping that the numbness would both help him escape his current anguish, and give him the courage to face any new devastation the night might bring. The first two glasses were hard to get down, but at this point he was chugging it like a decathlete guzzling water after an intense workout.

Cid Kramer stumbled clumsily back to his desk, as the liquid contents of his glass began swashing from side to side inside the glass, and ultimately spilling out onto the floor, like high tide waves splashing onto a boardwalk. Reaching his chair he plopped down in the plush leather, feeling as more spilled from the glass and onto his hand. By the time his body was completely seated, nearly half of the scotch was gone from the glass, and not a single drop had touched his tongue.

He finally took a sip and slammed the class onto his desk, not caring as even more left his glass and ended up on his desk, which was covered with scattered photos and heartache. _Pictures can be special; capturing a memorable moment and freezing it at one particular point in time_. They had always helped Cid keep perspective of how blessed and loved he truly was, even at his most trying and loneliest moments. At this point, however, the pictures weren't helping him remember what he had, but rather, reminding him of how much he had lost and had left to lose.

_7:56...7:57..._

_Three minutes._

Three and a half days of contemplating whether or not to even watch it, and he still wasn't any closer to a decision. As the Headmaster, he felt obligated to watch it. He approved a mission that four of his young SeeD's were currently involved in, which would have significant political, economic and worldwide ramifications. As Cid Kramer, it was much deeper than that_. It was personal_. His only regret was that he couldn't kill Deling himself, and he wasn't a violent man at all.

Watching Deling die would be a pleasure.

_7:57...7:58..._

_Two minutes._

It was the possibility of failure that drove him mad and causing the bitter bile to rise up and burn his throat. With every mission he ever approved, he knew there was a chance the mission could fail. It went with the job, but it was a realization that had become accustomed to accepting; even when it meant casualties. It was always a gamble that he had to be willing to take for the right price, otherwise, Garden would cease to exist.

This time, however, he bet the house, and losing would cause his neatly stacked house of cards to come crashing down around him. Everything he worked for, everything he cared for...all his dreams, hopes and desires rode on snake eyes..._or at least a bullet going between them._

_7:58...7:59..._

_One minute_.

There was a light tap on the door to his office. Through intoxicated eyes, he glanced over, noticing Xu leaning against the partially open door. She knew he was drinking...alot, as the scent was heavy throughout the room. It burst from Cid's pours, and there was also a good bit soaked into the carpet.

"Sir," she asked with care, taking a few small steps inside the room, "Is everything alright?"

"Fine' Xu...just fine," he assured her, tripping over his own tongue as he did so Xu noticed that the television set by his desk was not turned on, and while she knew was likely going to watch it, was hoping he wouldn't. She was one of the few who knew just how much he had riding on this mission, and could tell the stress was eating him from the inside out like cancerous termites.

"I can keep you company if you would like," she softly offered, looking at him with gentle eyes. He seemed to zone out, as he had been doing quite often over the previous week, and the added affects of the alcohol didn't help. Before she could repeat herself, Cid replied.

"That won't be necessary," he replied, his voice low and devoid of hope, "Enjoy your evening Xu," he politely dismissed her and took another drink, still staring blankly ahead. Xu wanted to stay with him, but wanted to respect his wishes, figuring he wanted to be left alone. She knew if she had to go through such an ordeal, she would likely feel the same way.

"Good night, Headmaster," she greeted, but he didn't respond. She bowed her head, and exited the room, closing the door gently behind her.

_7:59...__**8:00 P.M**__._

It was time.

After finishing what was left in the glass, he simply let it fall out of his hands. watching as it hit the floor and rolled towards the massive window next to him. His head drooped a bit as he looked back on top of his desk, his eyes scouring through the mountain of pictures in search of the remote. Everything on his desk reminded him of her; _the inscribed, golden fountain pen she gave him on his fiftieth birthday..the tiny, clay figurines she made for him...the crystal, rose paperweight that sparkled under the light_...and of course the sea of portraits he was drowning in.

Cid shot out of his chair, and angrily swept his hand across his desk, causing many of the pictures to fly off and flutter to the ground softly. He nearly toppled over in a drunken daze as he did so, and just leaned against his desk, waiting for his sense of balance to return, even though he was too drunk to realize that they wouldn't be returning anytime soon. As his senses came back a bit, he noticed a the remote, half covered under several photos still on his desk. He snatched it, and then slowly lowered himself back into his chair.

After pressing the wrong button several times, he looked at the remote and finally found the power button, and the television set clicked on. He flipped through various stations, seeing that pretty much every single one, even international channels, were covering the event. He finally stopped on one and tossed the remote back to the desk. At that point, there was only a reporter amongst a large crowd, showing the outskirts of the palace in Deling City, and talking about how the _'historic event'_ was only moments away.

Cid was disgusted by the fanfare and the glamour of it all. His wife's victimization and Deling's despicability was being made into some grand fucking spectacle Of course, none of them knew Edea, or what Deling did to her, but it still made him sick. Not so much the people, but what it all represented; which was Deling's iron claw over the entire continent. The vast majority of Galbadian's were to afraid to rise against him or show any type of objection to him, and he couldn't blame them.

If everything went according to plan, this would be the last sunset Deling would ever see, and the last night Galbadian's would live in fear of him.

As the simple thought brought a smirk to his face, the camera shot changed, and he could see numerous people walking out of the mansion and near the speech platform where the podium was. Two Galbadian soldiers walked out stood off to both sides of the podium, followed by a man who Cid recognized as Mayor Danzbie who had a big smile on his face. Three men in black suits came out quickly and inspected every area of the roof top.

Moments later, the president stepped out to a loud ovation, which made Cid grind his teeth and squeeze the leather arms of his chair furiously. He looked so fucking smug and pompous; his joyous expression and obeisance for the people of Galbadia was just as fake as their admiration for him.

In the midst of stewing in his blind hatred for the man on screen, something caught his eye. A figure stepped out of the mansion, slowly making their way towards the speech platform, followed by two more armed Vipers, as the figure looked on emotionlessly. It was a woman, adorned in a bejeweled vestment and regal attire that was fit for a queen. In a way, that is exactly what she was and looked like; strikingly gorgeous and outrageously elegant.

Cid's mind couldn't even wrap his mind around who it was at first. The denial within him so strong that he no longer had control of it; his mind taking over as if to protect him for the pain of realization. Her eyes were..._different_. The motherly care, the exuberance of her spirit, the respect for every human life was replaced by something that could only be described as the polar opposite of each of those.

Her head turned and her now golden eyes spiked the camera.

Cid's eyes widened and his heart dropped as his mind could no longer maintain its strong grasp onto denial.

Reality set in.

_There stood his wife...his life...his love_.

Or at least what was left of her.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City - St. Ludwig's Bell Tower**

**1959 hrs**

_It was time._

After a painfully long four hours, their role in the mission was about to start, even if it was just observing the speech and the parade, it was better than sitting around as helicopters and presidential security swarmed the city, and Irvine hummed his favorite musical tunes, which included several annoying commercial and cartoon themes.

Squall had had enough, and was ready to get it over with.

The sun had all but faded, but the night sky was illuminated by the lights of the pyrotechnics and decorative lighting that lit up several miles of the city. The entire populous was abuzz in every direction he looked. More than two million people had gathered in the blocks surrounding the palace, if only to get a glimpse of what their future held. If most of these people knew what happened in Junon at the World Council, they probably wouldn't have been so excited, Squall presumed.

Squall redirected his focus to other areas of the city. Outside of Liberty hall, he could see thousands of soldiers, members of color guard, band-members and tribal dancers getting ready for the parade, gathering out by the procession of cop cars and armored vehicles, which surrounded a rather large and lavishly decorated golden float. It was raised nearly six feet off the ground, outfitted with wiry, neon blue lighting rails coiling in the back, royal red carpeting, high standing golden torches in the two front corners, and finally, two golden chairs near the back of the float, undoubtedly for the president and the sorceress.

There were also about a million more people already lined up around the parade route, with thousands of more pouring in by the minute, including many around the North Gateway, where the parade would hopefully end at approximately 2200 hours. So much of their time had been spent thinking about how it would play out up to and including the moment Irvine pulled the trigger, but to that point, Squall didn't think much of what would happen AFTER it. In reality, that would be the most challenging aspect.

As Squall stared of into the distance of the lively city, Irvine became excited.

"There she is!" he exclaimed as he watched on with his binoculars, waving Squall over, "That's her, right?" he asked, pointing towards the palace. Squall walked over and raised his pair, looking into the distance. After focusing the lens, he noticed a gathering of people atop the roof, including the president and the sorceress, whom he assumed Irvine was referring to.

"Yeah," he stated. The sorceress didn't look much different than she did the first time he saw her in person in Timber, but her dress was much more elegant this time.

"Not too shabby! Ya know...for a crazy bitch," Irvine cracked as he peered his vision down to her bustline and cleavage. Irvine looked up momentarily, hoping for some type of reaction, but Squall was too focused to grace him with one. After realizing that, Irvine peered back to the palace, and spoke again.

"Hey Squall –a –kins...Gotta question! Why don't we just cap this bitch now while she is in our sights? I could put one in Deling's dome while I'm at it!" Irvine questioned with eagerness in his voice, and was actually a pretty fair inquiry. It would be quite easy to kill her at that moment, but escaping would likely be much harder. During the parade, much of the security would be directed towards the North Gateway and along the parade route. Security was likely more ready for an assassination attempt during the speech than they would be during the parade, so it made sense.

"Plans are made for a reason, Irvine. Stick to it," he insisted to the brash cowboy, who just laughed it off with a joke.

"Anyone tell you how much fun y'are?" Irvine asked with a smirk, and Squall just shot him a perturbed glare. After again looking back to the roof, Squall noticed a balding, heavy set man in a custom designed grey suit step up to the podium, and looked like he was sorting through some index cards.

"That's the Mayor," Squall informed Irvine, "Looks like it's about to start."

Irvine nodded with a thumbs up, "Showtime!"

Squall and Irvine both adjusted their radios volumes, as a sound feed from the speech was provided to them so they could hear everything clearly. At first it was just white noise, but the mayor began to speak within a matter of moments.

"Good evening Galabadia, and good evening to the millions watching around the country and around the world," the fat little man jubilantly greeted, to which he received a loud applause from those in attendance, "Tonight is a momentous occasion as we usher in a new era. We hope tonight can rekindle your faith in the Galbadian government, and make you feel safer within this great country, and hope that after tonight, you go home with the peace of minds that your future, and the future of this great nation are secure, as we embark into a new age of peace!" the mayor exclaimed, holding his arms up, which again set the crowd into a frenzy.

"Before we introduce the newest member to our family, your great leader would like to say a few words," the Mayor started, and began to step to the side a bit, "Ladies and gentlemen...President Vinzer Deling!"

Deling's name was announced, but the ovation for him wasn't nearly as loud as it was for the mayor, even though he was probably just as slimy as the president, just with less power and influence. Deling stepped up to the microphone, waving his hands and offering his graciousness with the phoniest of smiles on his wrinkled face. After the applause died down a bit, he began.

"Citizens of Galbadia! You are undoubtedly here to witness a turning point in not just Galbadia's history, but the worlds!" he proclaimed, causing the crowd to rile up again, "World peace has eluded us since the beginning of time. But in this new era, we shall not only attain that peace, but make it an everlasting peace with the help of our ambassador!" he exclaimed, pausing again while the crowd cheered.

"I understand there are many skeptics, and there are many terrible rumors floating around about our intentions...all of which are LIES, propagated by those who oppose our government, and would say anything to cast it in a bad light within the nation. Everything we do...everything **I** do, is in Galbadia's best interest...and this is no different," he assured the millions of citizens in attendance and watching on television.

Irvine, who was raised and probably born in southern Galbadia, snickered in aggravation. "Who's he kiddin'?" the cowboy asked, finding Deling's charade rather laughable. Anyone who knew better knew that this was all a facade, even if no one would say it out loud.

"So...without further adieu, I give you the new ambassador of Galbadia..." the president began and the crowd suddenly got eerily quiet, "Sorceress Edea!"

Trumpets blared loudly and the patter of drums filled the air, mixing with the deafening roar of the crowd which swept throughout the streets. In the distance, car horns and other celebrations such as personal fireworks could be heard as the city welcomed Edea. It seemed as if many were legitimately embracing the sorceress' induction into the government. Perhaps some of them were captivated with the thought of Deling not having complete control, or maybe some were just too petrified to even realize how they truly felt.

No matter the reason, Squall had a feeling the city was about to get a rude awakening.

Squall and Irvine both zoomed their binoculars in on the sorceress, getting a close up look at her. She strolled leisurely up to the podium and was looking over the millions of people that engulfed the streets beyond the palace grounds. Vinzer Deling stepped aside and claipped as Edea stepped onto the platform, but then leaned towards her and said something; grabbing her arm and giving her a petulant stare. As he let go, the sorceress stared blankly at him for a moment, and then turned to face the crowd, which was still cheering rather loudly.

Edea raised her arms in the air, and slowly raised them, signaling for them to quiet down. The exultation died down slowly, and the sorceress scanned the crowd once again. After a moment of somewhat strange muteness, the sorceress finally let her voice be heard.

"Today is indeed a new beginning! A new journey which we will embark on together! A journey which will take us all to unimaginable depths of glory, and make Galbadia the beacon of hope for the new world!" she exclaimed, a mania of exaltation erupting.

"But sadly, not all of you will share in the glory of our new world..." she continued, her voice becoming rather grim as the fervor of the crowd tempered considerably, perplexed by what she just said. A faint, feminine laughter could be heard as the sorceress observed the crowd again, the sound sending a chill of uneasiness through the crowd.

"How you celebrate my ascension with such joy...hailing the very one you have condemned generation upon generation," she scornfully addressed; the sudden hush of the city almost unbearable at that moment.

"What happened to the shameless, ruthless sorceress of your fantasies? Have you forgotten Adel, the one who brought fear and death to the world just two decades ago? The cold-blooded tyrant who slaughtered countless men, and destroyed several nations!" the sorceress plodded along, seemingly unaffected and rather amused by the foreboding ambience of the suddenly stunned gathering.

"Peace, huh?" Irvine muttered, his voice also hinting at fear.

Even Squall wasn't expecting such extreme candor in the sorceress inauguration address. At the very least, he expected more bogus ranting and false promises like the president delivered, but this was quite the opposite. She wasn't mincing words, and was letting the city soak in each terrifying moment she created with her words.

As Squall watched on, he heard Irvine say something peculiar, "Hey, who is that off to the left?"

Squall narrowed his brow at the inquiry, seeing nothing out of the ordinary in his peripheral vision immediately. After a moment, something caught his eye...something, _out of place._ Atop the roof, on a lower section from the main platform, stood a solitary figure by the side door. The figure was not doing anything out of the ordinary, just standing, or rather careening back and forth in a listless fog, as if they were oblivious to where they were or what they were doing. Squall zoomed in a bit to clear up the fuzziness, he nearly toppled over in disbelief.

_It...can't...be..._

"Is that?" Irvine drug out, coming to the same realization Squall did, almost in unison, "IT IS! The hell she doin'?" he demanded, looking over at Squall, who couldn't take his eyes off her.

Nothing about it made sense. He seriously thought he was hallucinating at the moment, unable to grasp just what the fuck he was looking at. It was like a single black snowflake amongst a billion white ones. He had prepared himself for pretty much anything that evening including a violent, bloody death, but this...this was one thing that he never expected.

He adjusted the view on the binoculars one last time to get a better view of the face, and he finally had to come to terms with what he was seeing.

_It was __**real**__._

_It was __**her**__._

"Rinoa..."

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City - Presidential Palace**

**2013 hrs**

_Silence. _

_Fear. _

_Confusion._

She looked down, seeing a cocktail of the three mixed into the crowd below, among the pitiful simpletons, who just moments earlier chanted her name and praised her rise to power.

_How pathetic. _

"Be not afraid, filthy wretches!" she denounced them without hesitation, speaking to them like the mere bugs they were, "My words are not meant to incite fear, but to inspire hope! An era of new hope for those who are willing to accept me as their new ruler' and an era of suffering for those who do not! You shall see..." as Edea addressed her new minions, she felt two strong arms tug her off the podium, and watched as the president rushed by her and up to the microphone.

"Citizens of Galbadia...the sorceress is not herself right now. Rest assured, we only have your best interests in mind Please remain calm!" he stated to crowd peacefully, but they seemed to be working itself into a bigger frenzy.

Two Galbadian Vipers drug her inside into the inner hallway and pinned her against the wall, holding her there. An outraged Vinzer Deling ran up the short set of steps in a fierce rage, which only amused her. His right arm and hand wound backward as he neared her and he delivered a ferocious backhanded slap to her cheek, and she watched as he struck her again, this time a front handed slap to the other cheek. She then felt as he wrapped his dry, leathery fingers around the top of her neck and bottom of her jaw, and slammed her head back against the wall with force.

His eyes were piercing and vengeful, and looked as if one gentle nudge would send him over the edge. He leered at her with wide eyes and flared nostrils, but she maintained a nefarious grin and he squeezed her neck jaw as hard as he could, shaking in a fit of epic rage.

"You stupid bitch! I told you not to fuck with me!" Deling shouted in her face, spit spraying out with each word he spoke. He slammed her head into the wall again, looking as if he wanted nothing more than to slit her throat right there, but given how much money he sank into her, decided against it for the time being.

"Get her out of my sight, we'll deal with her tomorrow!" he told the soldiers, and prepared to walk back out in an attempt to play damage control, to a crowd that sounded like they were beginning to panic.

The president turned with two of his agents and the mayor who had wandered inside to see what had happened. Before they reached the doorway, however, there were two loud coughing and choking sounds that could be heard from behind. The president and the agents turned, seeing the Vipers who had Edea captive were now kneeling on the floor, choking and wheezing for air.

Edea walked freely, eyes dead set on Vinzer Deling.

Deling was mortified, knowing full well what that likely meant. He blinked repeatedly as if he could foresee his impending doom. His once rage flooded eyes were now transfixed on the horror that began unfold before him.

The presidents two agents drew their weapons and prepared to open fire. Without breaking stride, she flicked her hand, and their guns were pulled from their grasp, spun in mid air and shot them both repeatedly, killing them.

Two more agents rushed in. guns drawn, and began to fire. She held her hand up, the bullets slamming off the protective field of energy and the casings clanged to the ground. She held up her free hand and twisted her wrist, which immediately snapped the necks of the two aggressive agents, killing them.

Deling backed away in supreme dread along with the mayor. In cowardice, Deling grabbed the mayor and pushed him to the ground in front of her, like offering a slaughtered lamb in sacrifice for forgiveness. The mayor landed on his knees and began to beg, but the sorceress didn't even look down at him as she walked forward. She simply waved her arm, and fiery ashes and embers of what used to be the mayor scattered onto the floor and blew against the wall, as a cloud his cremated remains shadowed her as she stepped forward, closer and closer to Deling.

The spineless little man scurried backwards and fell to the ground, his legs giving out in numbing terror. He fumbled into his inner jacket pocket, pulling out the device that crippled her the day before. He could barely get his fluttering fingers to press the button in a desperate attempt to save himself, but after tapping it several times, knew that was it. She watched him pant in despondency, knowing that there was nothing left to save him, and that he was now at her mercy, which he knew she had none of.

"What's the matter, Mr. President? Does your little toy no longer work?" she belittled him as he crawled backwards on his elbows like the pitiful worm he was, "You have served your purpose, and you are hereby relieved of your presidential responsibilities!" she told his and held out her hand, raising Deling into the air just in front of her.

"No...wait...PLEASE!" he begged, crying for compassion. It was almost befitting; a man who made a life preying on the fearful and feeding off their misery, was now spending his final moments in fear, and would die in misery.

"Fear not...for you will not die in vain," she assured, as Deling felt his bones, muscles, joints and veins tighten. Veins and tendons in his body began to rupture and bones began to snap and splinter; the pain on a level that was beyond comprehension. Deling used to have his now deceased bodyguard Jagger inflict untold amounts of pain on people who opposed him, and now, he was getting a taste his own medicine.

"Your death will signify the new beginning, and the sight of your inconceivable pain will be a testament to my wrath..." she informed Deling, who was too delirious to even pay attention. His blood felt like it was boiling, mainly because it was, and his skin was now blistering and disgustingly melting on his body. The sorceress held Deling's deteriorating, but still living form above her head as she stepped back to the podium. Onlookers cried and screamed in fear as they watched a man hanging in midair violently jerking and twitching.

"THIS...IS…REALITY!" she exclaimed in singular, frightening words, and cast her hand forward slowly, as Deling's body, still writhing in torment floated outwards until it hovered over the street just outside the palace grounds. The mass of people observed in horror as they got a better view of their president, who was now disgustingly mutated, but still seemed to be alive somehow.

"The reality of those who oppose me! Rest assured to anyone who stands in my way...your time will come. This is only the beginning!" she forewarned, and then dropped her hand, causing Deling's body to fall over fifty feet to the ground below.

Shockingly, Deling was STILL alive. Citizens watched in shock as what was left of their leader tried to push himself up. The skin on his face grotesquely stuck to the ground and peeled off like melted cheese. His left eye dangled from its socket and he was coughing up dark blood. His arm snapped in half like a twig and he again fell face first back into the pavement. Inconceivably, his body still pushed forward a few feet, leaving a sick mixture of skin, blood and other bodily fluids in a trail on the ground behind him, before finally, his body went completely limp.

_Vinzer Deling was dead_.

Several witnesses passed out at the sight of the horrendous scene.

_Some vomited. Some ran. Some cried. Some cheered. Some froze. _

_EVERYONE...at least to some degree, was scared shitless._

After Deling took his final breath, the sorceress again spoke.

"To those who follow, I will allow you to live a fantasy beyond your wildest imaginations! A _**FINAL**__ fantasy_, which I will create for all of you!" she stated, and then raised her hands high the air as spheres of energy emanated from her palms and burst forward over the crowd and several blocks of the city.

The citizens fell deafeningly quiet for several moments, and then all at once left out a triumphant roar, chanting vociferous praises for their new leader.

The swarm of Galbadians, who just a minute earlier wanted nothing more than the new nightmare to end, were now living a decadent dream; one that she promised them and one she was delivering. They all felt a sense of peace and harmony, like they had just been freed from a prison, and in a way, they had been. They were just now oblivious to the fact they were now walking into a new one.

One that they would likely never emerge from.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City - St. Ludwig's Bell Tower**

**2019 hrs**

"What the hell!" Irvine shouted, watching as Deling's body splattered to the ground below via the sorceress' witchcraft, "You see what that sick bitch just did!?" Irvine pulled his eyes from his binoculars and looked to Squall, who was still in shock. He watched as citizens around the city celebrated her ascension, seemingly entranced and mesmerized by her glory. He could only assume that she placed some sort of spell on them, or that the entire city simply lost their minds in unison.

In the midst of everything that was happening on the ground, Squall suddenly remembered something, or more importantly..._someone_. He swung his vision back to the top of the palace where he seen her last. All he could see were a few dead bodies and scattered ashes of what used to be the mayor, courtesy of the sorceress, and just below could see several vehicles gathering around the front of the palace gates.

Rinoa, however, was nowhere to be found.

Squall rested the binoculars below his neck and leaned against the ledge. His fingers began scraping along the stone, and along with Quezacotl's added strength, was shaving bits of it off with his fingertips. He put his head down, letting his hair hang over his face as he closed his eyes. He didn't know what to do. Despite what just happened, the objective was still clear and on schedule. Helping Rinoa likely meant putting the mission at risk at ultimately could lead to ALL of them caught and ultimately killed.

_Was one life really worth that type of risk? Sacrifices for the good of the mission...collateral damage._ In his years of training at Garden, he was taught such losses were often acceptable, and in many cases, necessary. No one person took priority over the mission. If it was within ones power to save a life without jeopardizing the integrity of a mission, then it was fine. However, in this case, there could be serious possible implications, both for him and the members of his team.

_So again...is that one life...__**Rinoa's**__ life...worth that?_

Squall pushed himself back from his leaning position and ran over the locker, grabbing his belt and gunblade holster and began fastening it around his waist.

"Where you goin'?" Irvine asked, looking back as Squall tighter the strap.

"I have to help her," he muttered, and then began fastening his lap strap, which had three knives secured.

"Shouldn't we tell the general?" Irvine questioned. The general had a right to know, since it was his mission and his daughter at stake, but knew it would likely only make the general act out of emotion. _When personal matters mix with a mission priorities, things can get ugly._ Things were already ugly, and telling the general would likely make him put the mission on hold, and they were already too invested to turn back at that point.

"That will only complicate things," Squall answered the cowboy as he grabbed his gunblade, and sheathed it by his side. He reached back into the locker, grabbed a laser-cutter, zipline launcher, a rappelling belt and a few magic stone pieces and finally took a quick inventory.

"Stick to the plan Irvine. I'll be on frequency 146.4," Squall informed with impatience in his voice, knowing every second was crucial. Irvine looked as if he didnt think it was a good idea, but he also didn't want Rinoa to get left behind.

Squall then fastened the rappelling belt, attached the rope to the inner railing, and tugged on it to make sure it would support his weight. He had to sneak out because the G-Army soldiers weren't likely going to allow him to leave without contacting the general for confirmation. He jumped up on ledge and looked down, surveying the ground far below but seeing no one, then turned and looked to Irvine one last time.

"Whatever happens, you take that shot!" he demanded, giving Irvine a stern glance, just before he jumped backwards and disappeared as he scaled down the side of the bell tower.

Things just got messy.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Balamb Garden - Cid's Office**

**2019 hrs**

Cid sat forward his chair, frozen, staring impassively at the now black screen with the off-air humming. The broadcast cut out as soon as Deling's body hit the ground, as it was likely seen as too graphic for television, or possibly just out of fear.

It didn't matter...not to Cid, anyway.

The broadcast suddenly returned within the news studio, as they began talking about what they just witnessed, but abruptly seemed to change topic, knowing that the sorceress was now likely OFFICIALLY in charge. After what she just did, no one was likely to stand against her or tell her otherwise. At least...no one in their right mind.

Cid knew that Deling likely got what he deserved. **No**...he _definitely_ did, and likely deserved to suffer even more in the afterlife, but he would rather Vinzer Deling be alive and well than to witness what just took place.

"Edea...no...", he barely managed to cry out in a softened, defeated tone.

Before that, he just wanted to see some glimmer of hope that he was wife was still there...that Deling hadn't completely succeeded in corrupting her...one of the sweetest, kindest and caring people he ever met. He didn't believe it was possible until that moment.

He seen no trace of his wife. No trace of any human. Just a soulless shell of a woman he once loved...**STILL** loved and would _forever_ love.

Deling may have been dead, but the evil he represented was still alive and well within his wife...if he could even call her that anymore.

The mission was over.

Deling was gone.

Sadly, so was Cid's hope.

He turned off the television, opened the bottom drawer of his desk, and pulled out a carved, wooden case. He opened it, staring at what was inside with tear filled eyes.

It was all he had left to ease his pain...

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City - Presidential Palace**

**2033 hrs**

The booms of the crowd as they cheered and chanted the sorceress' name outside the palace gates blared like thunder in the nights sky, and echoed through the halls and rooms of the palace. She stood by the window in what used to be FORMER President Deling's office, but was now nothing more than a memoriam to a man who, in both life and now in death, was responsible for much villainy within Galbadia.

Yet in all of his duplicity and with all the pain he caused, his demise actually ushered in his worst to come.

They all seemed so happy, even if it wasn't _real_ joy they were feeling. The next morning they would likely wake up to realize that they just celebrated their eventual ruin, and welcomed in yet another coldblooded leader and gruesome war. She basked in the sounds of her triumph, even if those who currently praising her were worthless to her.

The office doors swung open and she turned, seeing a single Galbadian Viper standing in the doorway, but not just any Viper. The blonde haired boy she took under her wing and molded in her image. He had done everything asked of him. They walked slowly towards each other, and once within a few feet, the young man bowed in reverence of his queen.

"You have done well," she spoke softly, sounding moderately pleased.

"I only live to serve you, my lady," he devotedly spoke with his head down.

The sorceress looked down at him, and felt it was time. Time to finally anoint him the title he yearned for and earned through duty. She raised her hand a gleaming light radiated brightly throughout the somewhat dark room, blinding the young man a bit as he looked up with squinty eyes. As the light dulled down, the young man saw a familiar shimmering object in her hand. A long, slender blade he recalled from previous lifetimes, looking majestic as it gleamed with a white aura, and she lowered it towards his face.

"You have finally rid yourself of the innocence of a child, and are now a man..." the sorceress praised him for his service, and then touched the tip of his blade on his right shoulder.

" ...a knight..." she spoke again, and then touched the top to his left shoulder.

"MY knight!" she spoke and then hovered the blade just above the crown of his head, and the white aura of the blade flowed over, into and all around him. He was consumed by the light...the light that she showed him. He felt reborn, energized and with a sense of purpose and belonging he never felt before. The exhilarating rush of pleasure filled him and the light slowly faded as it was absorbed into his pores.

The light was gone from the room, but still shined brightly within him. He rose to his feet and looked down at his body, noticing he was dressed in thin black armor, that was very light but at the same time, very strong. It was adorned with pristine silver trim, which shone brightly with power. A black knight's tunic was draped over his torso with a large silver cross decorating the entire front, Topping it all off was a somewhat recognizable trench coat, that which perfectly accentuated his otherwise dark apparel.

_The boy within him was dead._

_Seifer Almasy was now a man, and so much more._

He looked to his lady and grinned, and she returned it, albeit in menacing fashion. While he still loved her and would do anything she commanded, he now felt a sense of equality, which he hadn't felt before.

"Now go! This night is far from over," she ordered to her faithful servant, and he bowed his head graciousness, and pressed his balled right fist to his forehead in salute.

"Yes, my lady," he told her and then spun around, with the tail of his coach whipping in the air behind him.

Seifer's only remaining wish was that a certain someone could see what he had become. And he had a feeling that moment was coming, sooner rather than later.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City**

**2042 hrs**

After making his off the church grounds, Squall sprinted through the backstreets of the city, careful to avoid being spotted by any looming security. The odd thing was that most seemed to be mysteriously absent. There were still some G-Army soldiers lined up at various outposts and blockades on the streets, but even as Squall got within a few blocks, security seemed pretty lax as he neared the mansion. He knew much of the security was going to be redirected to the parade route, but he didn't expect that smooth of a venture.

Once within a few blocks, Squall made his way to one of the rooftops via a fire escape. He was again surprised that no that no snipers or security sentries were on the roofs in any direction he looked, which was becoming suspicious. After racing across several roof tops and hurdling alleys along the way, he finally got the top of the municipal post office, which was the closet building in the vicinity of the palace.

Once getting a good vantage point, he looked down, still seeing swarms of people walking from the area and towards the parade route, which was expected to start at 2100 at Liberty Hall. The band was starting to play a bit in the distant, and loud raves from the crowd could still be heard. Squall raised his binoculars and looked to the gates of the palace, seeing that several armored vehicles were leaving the premises along with a couple police cars and a stretch limo, which he assumed the sorceress was in.

After the vehicles had disappeared from view, Squall shifted his view around the outskirts of the palace and throughout the grounds of the palace, and once again spotted absolutely no security. At that point, Squall was becoming really suspicious that it could've been a trap. Even if much of the detail was being directed towards the parade, there was no way that they would leave the palace seemingly unprotected.

_Of course, what was left to protect with the president now dead? And who would be crazy enough to break into the palace after what the city just watched happen to him? _

Still, Squall wasn't totally convinced.

"Irvine?" Squall pressed on his earpiece, and talked to his partner via radio.

"What's up?" Irvine replied, almost immediately.

"I don't see any sentries," Squall informed him, still sweeping through the palace with his binoculars, "Do you see anything from your position?"

There was a brief pause on the other end as Squall assumed Irvine was looking, but received a response shortly, "Negatory, brother. The sorceress and the last of the security just left...yer good to go."

"Something's not right here," Squall answered as he shook his head, "Security is virtually nonexistent near the mansion." Surprisingly, he heard Irvine cackling on the other end.

"Never look a gift horse in the mouth, Squall," he told Squall, which basically meant that he shouldn't question good luck, "Get in there. I got yer back."

He didn't share Irvine's optimism, but knew that he didn't have a choice if he wanted to help Rinoa, if she was even in there still and alive. The final thought made him shudder a bit, but knew he had to at least make sure, and would deal with any security inside the mansion on his own. He reached to his belt, grabbed the zipline projector, and aimed it towards the top floor balcony where the sorceress just gave her speech. After targeting a spot on the outer wall, he fired it; the fiber wire cord bolting from the gun and piercing the stone partition. He then proceeded to secure it on his head to a ventilation shaft and tightened the cord. He pulled on it to make sure it would support him, and then attached the zipline device to the cord.

After taking a final glimpse around the mansion, Squall ran forward and leaped, holding onto the device as he streamed gracefully and swiftly through the air, over the street in front of the palace full various people who weren't paying much attention, and within twenty seconds was nearly there. As his body zipped over the balcony and over solid ground, he let go of the device, rolled as he hit the ground, and then sprung right back to his feet, drawing a blade from his lap strap as he did so to counter any expected security that may have been waiting. However, all Squall saw in form of security were dead soldiers and agents that the sorceress left in her wake.

"You find her?" Irvine's voice popped from the earpiece. Squall didn't answer, but looked towards the side door where he last spotted her. He made his way over and pushed on the slightly open door, revealing a darkened hallway. The mansion had a very chilling vibe as Squall entered slowly with his knife still in hand. There was very little light, and that which was available was quite malefic. He walked along the hallway, not really sure where to go in the huge mansion.

As he began to make his way down a nearby staircase, something from the adjoining corridor on his right caught his attention. It was a door to a room, which seemed to be opened ajar, and sounded like wind was whisking through it and into the hallway. Squall stepped back up and as he got closer, could hear what sounded like growling and hissing, but was still largely indistinguishable.

Upon reaching the door, he slowly pushed it open. Hundreds of candle flames lit the room and seemed to get even brighter as Squall entered. The first thing he noticed besides the candles and the thin white curtains that hung from the ceiling and fluttered in the air, was a large creature in the back of the room with a long tail. It was hard to make out what it was since it was turned away from him, with its attention seemingly directed at something else.

As Squall ventured further into the room, he could see exactly what it was focused on. The frame of a slim figure in a green hoodie, lying on the ground, motionless. Squall's heart sunk a moment as he saw it, getting the mortified feeling he was too late. He didn't notice any cuts on her though and _thought_ he could see the subtle motions of her taking restricted breaths, thinking she may have been playing dead to fool the monster.

Squall unsheathed his gunblade quickly, and began dragging the tip of it along the white stone floor, causing a high pitched squeal like nails on a chalkboard. This caused the creature to spin around quickly, and give Squall a better look at what he was dealing with. It was a fiend, but like none he had seen before. It looked like an oversized iguana with razor sharp teeth in its snarling, drooling mouth as it leered at its new prey with blood red eyes. It was covered with some type of shiny metal plating armoring its green scalish skin, with its long tail wagging behind it , which was easily five feet long with a sharp blade as the tip of the tail.

The fiend just eyed Squall, hissing and growling like a rabid wolf as Squall returned its glare, which was equally as fierce. Squall took a moment to survey any weaknesses. With its long tail, he knew he would have trouble getting in close to it for an attack and the plating looked strong enough to resist physical attacks.

Squall thrust his arm forward and let a series of ice spells, as pellets of ice whipped around it. The monster didn't flinch, so he then tried fire and then thunder, both spells seemingly doing nothing. It seemed as if it was also resistant to elemental magic, which was definitely not good, as Squall wasn't extremely proficient with other types of para-magic.

Suddenly, the fiend went on the offensive and dashed at Squall, whipping its tail around and striking at him, as he blocked each strike with his blade, but the giant lizard was swift and agile, and Squall knew he likely couldn't keep it up too long. As it continued to swing its tail, it also snapped its jaws at Squall's legs, with one bite tearing Squall's pant leg and shaving skin of his calf, drawing blood.

Just as it dived in for another bite, Squall jumped back, blocked its tail with his blade, and then raised his leg, and stomped hard on the armored plated head of the fiend, slamming its mouth shut, and then proceeded to flip over the top of it.

As he did so, he looked back to Rinoa, who still laid unmoving on the ground. In that split second, the lizard fiend dashed forward and landed on top of Squall, with its claws digging into his chest. The monster snapped its head with its jaw open at Squall's neck, who raised his hands quick enough to fend it off. It swung its head around wildly though and Squall couldn't maintain a grip as he continue to hold it back, with his hands getting tore up a bit as they grazed its teeth.

"Squall, what's going on?" he heard Irvine ask in his ear, but wasn't in position to answer questions. He looked up, watching as the tail swung from over top of the monster and was aimed at his head. He moved just in time as the razor tail took chunks of the floor out of the ground inches from his ear. It tried it again and again, with Squall moving his head to dodge, all while continuing to hold the reptiles head back.

Squall knew he couldn't keep that up much longer when suddenly an idea popped into his head, but wasn't sure if it would work. He wasn't that good with support para-magic, but figured at the moment, anything was worth a try. As the fiend chomped at him again, he grabbed a hunk of exposed flesh under the creatures neck and squeezed tightly to hold it there, and brought his other hand around to its eyes, and let it rip. A black cloud of magic began swirling around the beasts eyes momentarily and then it jumped back, seemingly lost.

Squall rose to his feet quickly and downed a potion to help his injuries, and then regripped his blade. The large iguana stood before him and began snapping at air and waving its tail at nothing in particular as if it couldn't see its target.

The blinding spell seemed to work.

Still, the fiend was moving wildly and Squall wasn't sure how long the spell would last. Observing it a bit, he could see slightly exposed areas on the back of its head and near the base of the flailing tail. He waited for the right moment, as the beast still seemed to be irritated and lost. As the tail went back, Squall darted forward, and watched as the tail flung forward again as he got close. He blocked the descending cleaving blade with Revolver, and pushed forward, stomping on its head and back as he ran on top of the body, and then kicked its tail, holding it down on the ground with his heavy boot.

Before the monster could really react, Squall lined up his blade with the exposed base of the tail and hacked down as hard as he could, slicing part way through the tail. The monster wailed in pain as Squall's teed at it like a an angry golfer bashing at a golf ball in high grass. After five swings, the tail laid completely severed on the ground, and the lizard plodded forward, with green blood spurting from its thrashed end. It was obviously out of energy and in alot of pain.

Squall decided to put it out of its misery once and for all as he walked on top of the body again, lined his blade up with the exposed back of the head, and drove his blade down like a farmer plunging a shovel into soft soil. The blade sunk through and protruded out the bottom side of the neck. After a few odd sounds, the lizard fiend dropped limp, and died.

Squall was tired and blooded up as he dropped to a knee, taking in several deep breaths. Quezacotl did a good job of protecting him, so it wasn't anything serious, just somewhat nasty cuts and claw marks in his chest.

Quickly his head shot up as he again remembered Rinoa. He sheathed his gunblade and trotted over by her body, where she remained motionless. He was almost afraid to check, not wanting to know the answer if it was for the worst. He hadn't known Rinoa long, and still didn't know her well, but those feelings of loss and abandonment snuck up on him. This is why he hated getting attached to anything; even remotely.

Before Squall could check however, her body jerked and she began moving a bit. Squall's eyes shot open as he rested a gentle hand on her shoulder, and turned her over.

"Rinoa," he softly called to her as she turned towards him , her eyes widening as well as she saw him, but also seemed very disoriented, "Are you okay?"

"Squall.." she whispered tiredly, and then reached up, wrapping her hands around his neck and pulling herself up towards him in an embrace. His arms, almost by instinct shot to the side of his body, trying not to return the contact.

He felt uncomfortable at first, but as the moments passed, he actually felt as if he was reluctantly enjoying it. That was the second hug he got from her, and that was two more than he ever remembered giving anyone else. There were a few girls who snuck semi-hugs on him before Squall could pull away, but nothing that lasted more than a second.

The difference was, in both of Rinoa's hugs, he never pushed her away or even really thought about it. He didn't return the embrace, but mostly because he didn't want himself to give in to such emotion, but the mere fact that he didn't seem to mind being touched or hugged by her was..._different_, to say the least.

"I guess I screwed up big time, huh?" she asked into his ear with a suppressed sob, still holding on tight. She was scared beyond belief, but wanted to be strong in front of him. _In that moment..in that embrace_, she felt so strong and safe..._close to him_. Despite his obvious disinclination to hug her back, there was a warmth about him that she could feel permeating her soul and her heart. One that she hadn't remembered genuinely feeling outside of her mother's arms so many years ago.

There was no real explanation for it, but she didn't need one.

She didn't want to let go, but did so if only for his sake. Squall pulled her to her feet and they came face to face. Nothing was said, and nothing needed to be said. There was so much she wanted to say, and despite his efforts to hide it, she could tell he wanted to say something too. He hinted at it back at the base, but now, it was even more evident in his eyes and all over his face. He was trying to pull his baby blues away but couldn't, as if they were magnetized by hers and wouldn't let go.

Before they could drown in each other's gazes anymore, a western Galbadiian voice blasted through Squall's earpiece.

"SQUALL!" Irvine's voice blared, and Squall reached up to his ear as it rang from the shout, "Talk to me buddy? You alright?"

"Yeah Irvine, I found her. Rinoa is safe," he informed him softly, as he looked back down to Rinoa, who smiled.

"Good news, at least," Irvine commented, "Should I let the General know?" he finished, which caused Squall to jump back. The general had a right to know, but the fact was, the personal stake still posed a threat to the mission.

"No, not until this is over," he whispered back, causing Rinoa to squint at his secrecy. There was a pause, but Irvine complied.

"You're the boss," he answered in his usual puckish manner.

Squall looked down to his watch and realized there wasn't much time left, and they likely wouldn't be able to make it back to the tower in time. He needed to make sure everything went down smoothly though, so he needed to get a good lookout point for the parade. He remembered that the view from the top of the mansion overlooked much of the city, but hoped it provided a view of the North Gateway.

"Come on," he told Rinoa hurriedly, "We need to go." Before he could move forward though he felt as she grabbed his bicep , stopping him in his tracks as she again pulled herself close to him, and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Squall, " she whispered, obviously still shaken up, "I was so scared, but...I just wanted to help." As angry as he wanted to be with her for jeopardizing the mission, he just couldn't. Her intentions were well placed, even if misguided. Still, this wasn't the time to console or condemn her. He still a job to do, and needed to make sure, above all else, it got done.

"I know," he told her softly, trying to calm her, and she again looked up and faintly smiled at him, seeing in his reassuring blue eyes that he really wasn't mad at her.

"Let's go," he finished with a nod, and both made haste out of the room.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Foxhound Underground Base**

**2109 hrs**

The war room at the underground Foxhound base was just regaining its composure after the sorceress abruptly took out the president in front of billions of people worldwide. Some of the junior members of the special ops force became hysterical with fear and wanted out, but they were calmed eventually, and the team had to review contingencies in case plans were altered. Unfortunately, the _'backup plans' _mainly involved covering up any signs of their current mission, so ultimately, there was no actual contingencies in place for actually _COMPLTELING_ the mission.

There were several members of the IT staff at various computer stations around the room, most hacking into and controlling various security feeds along the parade route, as well as scanning over the crowd to ensure nothing was out of the ordinary. Thus far, aside from the overexcited citizens who seemed to brush off what the sorceress did like it was nothing, everything seemed to be copasetic. Various televisions along the walls had different world broadcasts in case TV cameras were able to pick up on things they weren't able to spot via city cameras. Quistis, General Caraway, and several higher ranking officers spoke around the large conference table about mission updates and progress, but there was not much to report other than that the train was still on track, despite the chaos of what had happened.

As it rolled up on 2100 hours, they spotted what looked like the sorceress boarding the float, but were still awaiting word from the on-site team to make sure it was actually her. However, the parade was getting underway and they hadn't heard anything to that point. It seemed to many that the finely woven web of their plan was starting to unravel, and as each minute passed, the uneasiness became more palpable, and the tension in the war room could be cut with a knife.

Finally, out of nowhere, one of the members of Selphie's IT team excitedly stood to alert the room.

"General, Team Rapture just reported," the man spoke, and everyone took notice, "They have confirmed that the sorceress has boarded the float and is now moving!" The entire room breathed a sigh of relief with the notification. Even if it was just a confirmation, the most insignificant bits of good news were magnified due to how much was on the line.

After everyone basked in the good news for a few moments, the general wanted to make sure the most important team; _the sniper team_, was on track and ready to go.

"Status report on Team Stryker," he demanded, looking to his communication liaison, Quistis Trepe. Quistis nodded and walked over to Selphe's station.

"Selphie, patch me through to Squall," she requested. as the young computer whiz uplinked Quistis to the Team Stryker's frequency, but only got static and white noise. Selphie shuffled through various frequencies and scanned the line, but came up with nothing. Everything seemed to be working on their side, but something was definitely preventing Team Stryker from receiving communication in that area.

The general became impatient and stormed over to Quistis who was leaning over Selphie as they continued working on it, but were having no luck.

"Status on Stryker, NOW!" the general ordered loudly.

"There is something jamming our communication, sir," Selphie stated calmly but anxiously, not taking her eyes off the monitor as she continued in her fruitless efforts, "We can't get through to them."

The general, not exactly known for his poise, stormed over to the station, shoved Quistis out of the way with force and leaned over Selphie, nudging her away from the screen in the process. He fiddled with the touch-screen display for a good minute, trying various basic troubleshooting methods that Selphie had already tried several times, and then tapped on his earpiece.

"Team Stryker? TEAM STRYKER!" he shouted once, and then screamed loudly. The general had done nothing except slow Selphie down, and his temper tantrums, which he had become famous for, wasn't exactly helping the situation.

"DAMN IT!" the general screamed, taking off his earpiece and tossing it across the room, nearly hitting one of his fellow high ranking officers. "EVERYONE LISTEN UP BECAUSE I'M ONLY GOING TO SAY THIS ONE TIME...YOUR ONLY FUCKING GOAL RIGHT NOW IS TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH TEAM STRYKER! I DON'T WANT YOU FUCKING BLINKING UNTIL YOU HEAR ONE OF THEIR VOICES...GOT IT!" Caraway shouted in a fit of rage as he walked the entire length of the room, screaming at everyone.

Despite the general's somewhat humorous outburst, the situation was anything but funny. The spring of optimism after the good news from Team Rapture had dried up quickly after the inability to contact Team Stryker became an issue.

It wasn't quite as grim as the general made it out to be at that moment, but with each failed attempt at communicating Stryker, the lingering thoughts of failure and the consequences of being caught had everyone in the room thinking the worst.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City - Presidential Palace**

**2139 hrs**

Squall and Rinoa ran through the immense palace, which had the ghostly feeling of a haunted house, like something could pop out around every turn and scare them, or in this case, kill them. They slipped into several rooms as Squall looked for a northward view, that would give him a good sight of the gateway, where the mission was to do come to a violent end in twenty minutes.

"Squall, what are we doing?" Rinoa question, after entering the fifth room along their trek. Squall hadn't said anything except _"This way"_ and "_Damn it" _during that time, and she had no idea what he was even looking for.

"We don't have time to get back to the church. We need to find a vantage point of the North Gateway," he enlightened her with urgency in his voice as they ran out of another room.

They finally came to a set of white double doors with gold handles, and Squall slowly opened one of them, peeking in. The room was vacant, and very possibly the largest room in the entire mansion. He walked in further, examining what he assumed was a ballroom for various parties and celebrations, but knowing Deling, it had probably never been used in his tender. The entire room was flush white with traces of gold just about everywhere. The bottom section of the room was elegantly carpeted, except for a large section of glossy, laminate wooden flooring in the center of the room, which one would assume would be a dance floor. The ceiling opened up above the dance floor for the upper layer of the room, where white rails and golden banisters encircled the opening, likely so onlookers on the top level could observe the dance floor. Adoring the very top of the ceiling above the dance floor were two mammoth crystal and gold chandeliers, both which were covered in a plastic tarp, likely to spare it from dust.

Much like there were three sets of double doors leading into the room, there were also three more set of double doors that led to what looked like the outside. Squall ran over and moved the sheik white curtains covering the glass panes too get a better view outside. He then unlocked the door and ran out onto the extended balcony, thinking he spotted the North Gateway. He pulled out the set of binoculars he had with him and look into the distance, getting a near perfect view of the gate two blocks from where he stood.

At that moment, Squall couldn't see the parade, but sure as hell knew it started, just like the rest of the city. The thunder of the drums and humming of various other instruments danced through the star-studded sky, which at the moment was brightly lit with the explosion of magnificent multicolored fireworks which blasted up along the parade route and in various other sections of the city. The crowd noise was about as loud as the procession itself, still celebrating as if the sorceress was actually the new beginning they were looking for, when she was more likely on the beginning of the end.

"This should do," Squall stated, sounding calmer as they finally found a spot. Rinoa could still tell he was concerned, and rightfully so. She knew Squall wouldn't open up a topic for conversation, and didn't want the silence to linger since it would likely just add to the already paste-thick tension due to the mission, so she cracked the ice.

"So what happens after this?" she questioned in a delicately soft voice, but Squall continued glancing over the city, mainly near the North Gateway, which at the moment was only filled with eager citizens awaiting the parade to pass through.

"What do you mean?" he asked, not really shifting his attention.

"I mean, ya know..." she stated, her voice becoming dismayed and a bit embarrassed. He looked over and she bowed her head bit, shifting from side to side nervously.

"What?" he asked, not knowing what she meant.

"I mean..." she started, lowly, and then looked up into his eyes, "I guess we won't be seeing each other much after this," she finished, again with dismay, trying to force a phony smile on her face. Squall shrugged, knowing she was right, but he had already thought he seen her for the last time..._TWICE_.

Squall paused momentarily, but then nodded slowly and replied, "After we fulfill our obligations of this mission, we will likely return to Balamb Garden," he informed her, and her expression seemed to get even more depressed, "So yes...this is probably it."

"Oh," she murmured, sounding extremely disappointed by his response, "I jus..." she began, and then stopped, feeling it wasn't the right time for such a melodramatic display.

"What is it?" he questioned, seeming befuddled.

Rinoa shrugged and smiled, "Nothing." Squall didn't think much of it and continued to look towards the North Gateway, trying to spot anything that could impede the mission.

Rinoa felt like a volcano ready to burst. She had so much she wanted to know and so much she wanted him to know. As rocky as their relationship had been, she always felt something more was there than that introverted lone wolf she met on the dance floor back at Balamb Garden. Despite his endless supply of cold shoulders and canned responses, she still felt drawn in the more time they spent together, and she was finally beginning to see the other side. A side he desperately tried to hide from everyone, and even though she still didn't know him that well, wanted to be the first one to discover it. She felt the same way about Seifer, and while it was too late to get through to him, she didn't want to squander her opportunity to help him see that there was more to life than SeeD and sorceresses.

She could only hope she would have that opportunity once all of this insanity was over.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Foxhound Underground Base**

**2147 hrs**

Caraway stormed back into the war room after a short hiatus, and picked up right where he left off.

"UPDATE ON TEAM STRYKER!" he shouted loudly, causing a few people to jump in surprise. Quistis rolled her eyes before she turned to him.

"Nothing sir," she replied and walked up to him from Seplhie's station, "We haven't been able to contact anyone else in that area either," she notified the general, who closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm down a bit. Despite his tirades, Quistis actually understood the pressure he was under, considering it was his mission, and the fact that he felt responsible for not only its possible success or failure, but the consequences of what that failure likely meant, for both him and those he was responsible for.

"Something is disrupting the fucking signal!" he blurted out the obvious. Whether it was intentional or just some random signal interference was unknown, and that the moment, didn't matter, because either way they couldn't contact them.

The general's appearance changed in a matter of seconds. His once fiery, steadfast presence was now starting to reflect a sense of despair and lack of hope.

He looked..._scared, maybe even lost_, and totally out of control of the situation.

"Keep trying," he stated to Quistis in a low tone, about as calm as she ever seen him.

She almost preferred when the general was jumping down their throats. His sudden change of demeanor was almost alarming, because it seemed as if his worst fears were becoming reality, and the mood dampened even more within the room when his men started to perceiving that even he was beginning to lose faith.

Quistis held out hope, mainly because she knew Squall, and that nothing short of being killed would stop him from getting the job done.

What scared her, however, was that the notion of him being dead wasn't completely farfetched, even if she tried to act like it was. The thought made her want to vomit and cry at the same time, being that she had known Squall since they were children at Garden. She already felt moderately responsible for Seifer, and if she lost Squall, didn't know what she would do.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City - Presidential Palace**

**2151 hrs**

The pressure was beginning to mount as time drew closer. Squall was kneeling on the ground with his elbows perched atop the stone railing of the balcony, holding the binoculars up as the parade weaved its way through the streets of the city, and was currently closing in on its final destination. Rinoa sat beside Squall, leaning back against the same railing, biting her nails and closing her eyes, trying to stay calm as possible, even though she was scared to death.

"The parade is starting to turn down Aeris Blvd," Squall stated evenly, although Rinoa could hear heavier breathing in his voice. She rose to her feet and squinted, seeing the parade beginning to round the corner it its final approach to the gateway. The front was left by a group of seven cop cars and a few pure black security vehicles with tinted windows, followed by the color guard, with various Galbadian soldiers carrying guns and waving G-Army and national flags. Next was the large band which was nearly two hundred musicians dressed in parade gear, along with instruments such as flutes, trumpets and different types of drums. The tribal dancers followed shortly behind, dressed in unique costumes consisting of kilts, head dresses, and other unique attire. Finally, five yards behind them, the huge float with the sorceress could be seen.

Squall adjusted his view to get a better sight of the sorceress. She was sitting in one of the chairs towards the back center of the float, with the other chair seating nothing more than the ghost of Vinzer Deling. Squall noticed two security guards standing next to her with assault rifles drawn, and the sorceress herself conveyed no emotion as she blankly stared forward without blinking. Squall couldn't put his finger on it, but something seemed..._off_. It looked like her and he didn't expect her to be waving and blowing kisses, but for some reason, a sense of uncertainty washed over him.

However, Squall just chocked it up to nerves. He was always taught that the anxiety of a situation such as this can cause extreme paranoia and make one doubt themselves, and try as he might, there was nothing Squall could spot that made him suspicious enough to make a big deal out of it. Besides, he figured that Zell was nearby and that the support team had an eye on her, and likely would've caught something out of the ordinary.

After finally assuring himself that everything was on track, Squall tapped on his earpiece, "Irvine..." Squall called to the cowboy on the other end, "This mission's in your hands now." Squall paused, and waited. After thirty seconds had passed with no response, he looked to Rinoa with confused eyes, and her face mimicked his, curious as to what his expression meant.

"Irvine, do you copy?" Squall repeated, this time a bit more frantically. Again, no response. Squall bowed his head and took a deep breath, worried something may have happened.

"Irv..." Squall again started to repeat, before a soft voice on the other end spoke.

"...I can't…" the voice breathed out, barely audible.

"What?" Squall asked, and then paused. There was another ten seconds of silence, with each second that passed causing Squall to grow more concerned.

"…I," the voice repeated again lowly and hesitantly, "I can't do it..." Irvine breathed out with each word noticeably trembling as he spoke it. The usually charismatic, spunky tone had been suddenly replaced by trepidation and doubt.

Squall again bowed his head and closed his eyes, and simply by his suddenly distraught manner, Rinoa could see something was very, very wrong.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Foxhound Underground Base**

**2157 hrs**

The air inside the war room was heavy and being sucked down in heavy mouthfuls by those inside. The float was finally approaching the North Gateway with the sorceress in tow. All the planning, scheming and deceit was mere moments away from reaching its _hopeful_ culmination.

Sadly, they had no guarantee it was coming, as they still hadn't been able to reach the sniper team.

"General, the target is nearing the North Gateway," one of the general's soldiers shouted across the room to Caraway, who didn't need the notification. He was standing towards the very back behind the long conference table, leaning against the back of one of the tall chairs, watching projection screen in front as it showed the float inch its way closer and closer towards the gateway.

He felt a presence beside him, and quickly glanced over, noticing the familiar blonde SeeD who he had been working with the last few hours, standing there with obvious discouragement. He didn't need to ask the question, as the answer was painted all over her face, but the query came out almost as a reflex.

"Stryker?" he asked, barely louder than a whisper, with consternation heavy in his voice. Quistis was aware he knew how she would reply, so didn't bother saying it directly.

"I'm sorry sir," she somberly replied, looking at the screen and taking another deep breath, "Is there anything else you would like us to do?" she asked him, but at the moment, there wasn't anything anyone in that room could do, except what the general suggested next.

"Yes..." he stated and turned to her, and then rested a hand on her shoulder as he forced a small smile on his face.

"Pray."

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City - Presidential Palace**

**2158 hrs**

Irvine sat on the dirty floor atop the bell tower, against the wall, head leaned back, with tears streaming heavily down his face, as he had the previous five minutes. The cuff of his long sleeve shirt was soggy as he wiped away another flurry of tears from his eyes and face. He was disgusted with himself at that moment, and was sure he wasn't the only one. He was about to let the entire world down, because he couldn't get it together. What he hated the most is that he felt like he could handle it. He remembered how cocky he acted, like nothing could phase him, and up until the last fifteen or so minutes didn't feel any different.

It wasn't until he put the sorceress' head in his crosshairs for the first time that he realized just how real it was, and how different it would feel to take a human life, compared to his usual targets. Irvine laughed a bit as he imagined what his foster father's reaction would be in that moment; not insomuch as words as it was just the image of him taking off his heavy leather belt and snapping it, which was what he would do just before punishing Irvine, usually for not cleaning or storing the guns properly.

Squall had been trying to calm him, but to no avail. Irvine felt there was nothing that could be said at the moment that could make him pull the trigger. Even as he thought about what the sorceress did to Deling and what she was capable of doing, he wasn't the same monster she was, and wasn't brought up in the military atmosphere that Squall was. In that moment, he respected Squall much more than himself, because he knew that he likely wouldn't back down in this situation. He put on the brave face and tough act like he could handle whatever the SeeD's could, but when it came down to it, he didnt have it in him.

He was coward, or at least that's what he kept telling himself.

"The float is ten yards away," Squall spoke urgently on the other end, "Irvine, let's go!" he demanded, and Irvine huffed out a few more tears before tapping his earpiece slowly.

"I…can't! I'm sorry." he apologized breathily, trying to hide the weeping fear in his voice, but to little avail, "I act cool, like it doesn't bother me. But...I've never actually killed anyone before. Wild game, fiends and non living targets are one thing..." he elaborated and then took another deep breath before finishing. "This time though...the pressure…it's just too much!"

Irvine dropped his right hand from his ear and let if fall to the floor. His left knee was propped up with his left arm resting atop it as he held the assembled sniper rifle between his legs. The gun, in all its glory, was useless at that point. Without Irvine, it was just a piece of scrap metal, good for absolutely nothing. The cowboy closed his tear flooded eyes, imagining the hard leather of his foster fathers pelting his back again and again, hearing as it cracked against his skin over and over. The imagination of that physical pain was almost soothing, as it dulled out the disappointment he currently had in himself at the moment, which was even harder to bear.

"It's time Irvine, you're up!" Squall shouted again on the other head, his voice starting to get frantic. Irvine again clicked on his earpiece.

"My bullet. The sorceress. I'd go down in history... " he muttered, feeling the pressure spike with his heart rate, feeling as if he was going to have a stroke just thinking about it, "A single pull of the trigger would change the fate of Galbadia. No, the world!" he explained with teeth chattering, the light from nearby fireworks illuminating the darkened area with green and purple colors, hearing the crowd and music rage on below.

Suddenly, Squall sounded like he had had enough of Irvine's spinelessness.

"I don't care, just take the damn shot!" Squall heatedly ordered, but this only angered Irvine.

"I CAN'T GOD-DAMN IT!" Irvine shouted back, as more tears streamed down his face. He wasn't sure how he could look in the mirror, if he even got that chance again. His single bullet would save countless lives, but as many times as he told himself that, he just couldn't do it.

_'Sharpshooters are loners by nature'_...it was bullshit to Irvine, because at that moment, he would've given anything to have someone there to comfort him. To tell him he wasn't alone and that they would be there for him no matter what. To treat him like a person, instead of the piece of equipment he was treated like for so many years.

He was about to get what he wanted, from the most unlikeliest of people...

"Irvine…" Squall Leonhart softly said on the other end, his voice much more relaxed as he began to speak, "I know it's not easy to take another life. I know because I was in that same position not long ago. But you aren't doing this for you...or me...but for everyone whose lives will be affected if you don't. And I know that the pressure you are feeling may seem overwhelming, but will you really feel any better if you don't try at all?" he questioned, with sincere sympathy and care in his voice.

Finally, something began to spark inside Irvine, like an engine revving on an old car, trying to get it fired up. He repeated to himself what Squall had just said, and he actually believed him, about what he went through, and how Irvine would feel if he didn't do anything to stop the sorceress from ruining the lives of people around the world.

He, and he alone had the power to do that.

"We will support you no matter what happens, Irvine. No one will be mad if you miss, but you need to at least try. Please..." Squall continued, which continued to boost him even more. He gripped his gun tightly, with both hands and planted both feet on the ground as he sat straight forward, leaning his head against the gun. He was looking for that last little nudge to push him off the ground, and finally got it.

"We believe in you Irvine," he heard another feminine voice say, to which he recognized as Rinoa's. She sounded genuine as well, but at the same time, frightened.

Perhaps it was Squall's understanding, or Rinoa's fear, or maybe both of them showing him the human compassion he rarely got from his foster father or anyone else, but Irvine finally felt like he was ready, despite still feeling incredibly scared himself. He spun around on one knee and peaked over the ledge, pulling his gun around as he rested against the top of the ledge, and began to adjust his aim towards the target. He closed one eye and his open one glanced through the long scope, seeing only blurriness for a moment until he adjusted it properly, and saw the float passing under the tunnel, seeing the sorceress sitting there, staring straight ahead.

As Irvine zoomed in and the sorceress' forehead fell in line with his scope, he noticed something...a flicker of humanity in her brown eyes, gleaming from the light of the torches aboard the float. Irvine pulled his head away and bowed his head for a moment, just before remembering her words. Even if there was a shred of humanity left in her, it was not evident in her actions or her words. She basically promised to take over Galbadia and the world, and to not only continue the perpetuate the misery Deling inflicted, but to make it even worse.

He couldn't let that happen.

He raised his head and again looked through the scope, noticing there was only likely a few seconds before the gate was due to slam shut and he would have to pull the trigger. He was sweating profusely and his hands were still shaking, making it difficult to maintain his aim. He breathed heavily, trying to calm himself, but it wasn't working.

Suddenly, he remembered something. Something that he used to repeat to himself night after night before bed to help in relax. Something his foster father had taught him, and while memories of his adopted dad were all pretty much far from pleasant, he knew that this was something that always helped put his mind at ease. Like a disturbing lullaby for a gun obsessed child.

Irvine closed his eyes, and slowly began to speak the words of the creed...

_**"This is my rifle. There are many like it...but this one is mine.." **_he began to recite, still trembling.

"Irvine, what?" Squall asked on the other end, sounding completely bewildered, not understanding what the cowboy meant.

_**"My rifle is my best friend. I must master it as I must master my life..." **_

"Irvine, what are you tal..." Squall again asked, but was cut out as Irvine turned off his radio.

_***...deep breath in...heart beating a mile a minute...***_

_Nothing Squall or anyone can say at this moment matters. The only thing that matters are the gun, the bullet, the finger and the target.._

_***...deep breath out...heart still racing but slowing down...***_

_**"My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless..."**_

_***...deep breath in...what if I fail?...***_

_History will be rewritten. Live in infamy if you succeed...die in agony if you fail..._

_***...deep breath in...Failure is not an option...***_

_**"I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me..."**_

_***...deep breath in...heartbeat slowing down...***_

_The old man's creed is working. Even if he was a selfish bastard, this is likely what he was preparing you for from the first time he put a gun in your hands. Still hate him though...piece of shit..._

_***...deep breath out...breathing slowing down...***_

_**"Before Hyne, I swear on this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life.."**_

_***...light breath in...everything is disappearing...***_

_Everything...everyone...its fading away. The only one left is in your crosshairs. The bitch...sick twisted bitch...she deserves this, for the pain she has caused, and the blood she will shed in the future you don't succeed..._

_***...light breath out...nothing else, no one else exists...***_

_**"So be it, until victory is ours and there is no enemy..."**_

_***...no breath...rhythmic heartbeat...***_

_..but I will succeed. Steady hands, clear eyes, full heart, can't lose..._

_***...no breath...one last heartbeat before the trigger is pulled...***_

_**"Only peace..."**_

The gate dropped.

The gun popped.

**BANG.**

And then..._silence..._

_...pure...fucking...silence._

* * *

**Wow...crazy.**

Sorry it took longer...but I start school next week and had to get things in order.

I had to divide this chapter up, because as you can see, it was already long as hell.

If I included the rest it wouldve been over 20,000 words, and I didnt want that.

Next chapter is almost done, but I have more desciptions to add. May only be half the size of this chapter, depending how much I add.

Anyway...

**Inside Look**

Some of this and next chapter are also setting things up for the future, obviously.

**Cid**: Had to show Cid's reaction, which obviously wasnt good. Seemed to brush it off in the game.

**Various Perspectives: **I tried shifting around to various POVs to give a wider range of emotion. Some people like that, but I know some dont. I try not to do it too abruptly, but personally I think its better than long long chapters of the exact same thing. This way you get to kind of jump away from one situation, but see another USUALLY connected situation. I loved going to the sorceress' POV as she slaightered Deling.

**Deling's Demise**: Gruesome, yeah? Good. I made him scum and felt he needed a proper death...after all I have no clue what she actually did to him in the game. Hopefully not too disturbing for the readers. Ill add that it was influenced by various horror films and Robocop where the guy gets covered in acid.

**General Caraway: **He is hard to write for because I want him to be disliked, but give him some humanity all at once.

**Irvine and his creed**: Trying to really developing him here, and reflect the pressure he was under. Hopefully it worked. And the creed isnt mine...its simply a shortened and slightly modified version of the _"Rifleman's Creed"_.

**Squall and Rinoa: ** Trying to really develop a sense of care between the two before part ways for a bit.

**Deleted Scenes**: I actually had two I took out...one was with Zell and one was another in the warroom, but neither added alot and did little to advance the stor.

**Shout Outs...**

**Wiintermoth**: All I needed to do was put Irvine in the pink bunny suit, but couldnt fit it in to the story. And what do you have against Fire Materia? Haha.

**Dragoon Swordsman: **I suppose you are right about Peptuck's, but mine will definitely have more additional stuff like his did, although I will continue to stay true to the "essence" of the game. While I have different stuff and will change things a good, I still want it too feel like Final Fantasy 8, just greatly expanded, ya know? When I do part one reflections, I will explain alot about where certain things come from and my plans going forward, without giving too much away.

**Bebedora: **Yeah, I wanted to have an emotional thought that showed that the REAL Edea Kramer was still in there somewhere. Yeah...I thought that would be cool to do, even if it wasnt completely necessary, I thought it added a bit of humor, especially when he was pounding on Zell's helmet. Glad you are still enjoying it.

**Nameless SeeD**: Haha...who ye be? Dont leave me guessing!

**Mayonake no Ame**: HOW DARE YOU NOT REVIEW! FOR SHAME! Haha...no need to apologize. And yes...I am trying to rid of all the cheesy crap, There will still be lighthearted moments, but they wont be bogged down with stuff that makes you (or at least ME) roll your eyes.

Final Note

All that aisde, THE FINAL PART WILL BE OUT AT LATEST BY NEXT WEEKEND! Maybe sooner. I start school but the first week isnt bad and I have next Monday off for Labor Day.

Also, I should forward...there are some major changes coming next chapter, one of which will be noticed immediately that some may not like (there are some minor hints to it in this chapter). Nothing that changes what ulimately happens, but rather how things lead up to it happening. I think you'll get over it after you read the entire next chapter, but some may not like it at first.

**Okay...so...see ya next time for the FINALE!**

_**Prodigy**_


	30. Chapter XXV: Do or Die: The End

_There's another world inside of me that you may never see,_

_There's secrets in this life that I can't hide,_

_Somewhere in this darkness there's a light that I can't find,_

_Maybe it's too far away, maybe I'm just blind_

_Maybe I'm just blind_

_So hold me when I'm here, right me when I'm wrong_

_Hold me when I'm scared and love me when I'm gone_

_Everything I am and everything in me_

_Wants to be the one you wanted me to be_

_I'll never let you down even if I could_

_I'd give up everything if only for your good_

_So hold me when I'm here, right me when I'm wrong_

_You can hold me when I'm scared you won't always be there_

_So love me when I'm gone_

_Love me when I'm gone_

**-**_**3 Doors Down - When I'm Gone**_

* * *

**And now, the dramatic conclusion of Part One of "The Ultimecia Affair"**

* * *

**Chapter XXV**

_**Do or Die: The End**_

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City - North Gateway Underpass**

**2200 hrs**

Zell had managed to roll under North Gateway gate as the heavy metal contraption slammed shut behind him. Still under the guise of being a G-Army soldier, he was marching behind the float along with the rear security detail, but unlike the other twenty soldiers he was accompanied by, he knew exactly what to expect in the following moments. Over the chaos of millions of screaming Galbadian citizens, the thumping music that flooded the evening air and the fireworks that boomed deafeningly in the nights sky, he still managed to make out the ever so slight rattling and creaking of the gate overhead, just as the sorceress' float passed directly under the towering tunnel. He darted forward, knocking two G-Army soldiers down in the process, just as the gate started to descend rapidly, with a screeching noise filling the air as the metal from the gates scraped out along the sides of the structure.

As Zell rolled to his feet, a thunderous clang flooded the air as the black steel of the heavy gates on both sides pounded the street almost simultaneously. With Ifrit's added abilities, everything began to slow down to a point that made it seem as if he was looking at the events around him in slow motion. Soldiers and security on both sides ran towards the gate, grabbing onto the rails as it blocked them out, preventing them from reaching the sorceress. He could hear the noise from the crowd change from emphatically joyous to bewildered and shocked. And in the distance, his enhanced hearing allowed him to distinguish what sounded like a popping noise that lasted not even a fraction of a second...

...but Zell knew exactly what it was.

He sprinted towards the side of the float to confirm what he thought just happened, just as things began speeding up again. Before he could get there, however, a supreme panic seemed to flood the streets, with screams and cries echoing into the night and under the gateway, as if they just witnessed something terrifying happening. The atmosphere, which just moments earlier was entirely celebratory, had turned into mass hysteria. Flocks of people from the crowd outside rushed the gate and began attacking Galbadian soldiers and police officers, with blasts of gunshots ringing out as some began firing on the suddenly crazed citizens.

As Zell reached the side of the float, he could see exactly what had caused the bedlam.

Three other Galbadian soldiers that were under the gateway knelt over a body that was lying on the carpeted floor of the float. Zell glanced up to see the golden throne where the sorceress _was_ sitting, seeing nothing except the splatter of blood on the back of the seat where her head was, along with bits of brain and skull on the seat of the chair. He glanced down again, seeing the woman he recognized as the sorceress, lying there, copious amounts of blood pouring from the back of her skull.

"Hey moron!" Zell heard as he stared blankly at the dark red puddle that formed beneath the sorceress, but then looked up noticing one of the soldiers on the float staring directly right at him. Zell popped his head up quickly and stood at attention, noticing it was a Galbadian officer.

"PULL YOUR THUMB OUTTA YOUR ASS AND OPEN THE FUCKING GATES!" the officer shouted, pointing off to the left towards the wall underneath the gateway. Zell glanced over and saw a metal door that led into what he _assumed_ was the control room. Zell saluted the officer in compliance.

"Aye sir!" he shouted amongst the racket. The commotion just outside the gates was dwindling a bit as three armored military support vehicles showed up and began disbursing tear gas and pepper bombs into the crowd., even though it was apparent that the city was still losing their minds. Zell ran to the door, and entered quickly.

Once inside, there were two things he immediately noticed. One was a set of stairs leading upward, that likely wound to the control panel for the gates, and the other was a hatch on the floor. He quickly kneeled down, ripping off the titanium lock on the hatch like it was nothing, and opened it. Looking down, he barely seen anything, but from the sounds below, guessed it was the sewers.

Zell figured this was his chance to get out smoothly before being caught, because the longer he spent in the company of G-Army soldiers, the greater that risk was. Before crawling down though, Zell remembered one last thing had to do. He clicked on the side of his helmet, which had a built in radio in it, and spoke, rather frantically.

"Ricochet, this is Rapture," he identified himself and continued, "Target is down! I repeat, TARGET IS DOWN!" he excitedly affirmed, and then immediately slid down into the uncovered aperture and closed the hatch behind him, making his timely escape.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City - St. Ludwig's Bell Tower**

**2201 hrs**

_The blast echoed around him in melodic harmony, as Irvine concluded his bittersweet symphony of death on a high note._

He continued gazing through the endless birds-eye view of the scope for several moments, even after the bullet entered the front of the sorceress' skull and jutted out the back. He savored the moment, trying to ignore the fact that she was human and focus on what stripped her of her humanity_. If not for him, the sorceress would've likely reigned death and destruction down upon Galbadia. If not for him, the future of mankind may have been forever changed. If not for him, the flowers of youth would've wilted and rotted in the darkness of slavery, instead of blossoming and sprouting in the light of liberty._

Irvine didn't want a parade or to be made into some kind of legend or folk hero. He just wanted to cherish that moment, and what it meant. Not for him, but for the entire world.

"I..." Irvine gasped out slowly, taking his first breath in nearly a minute, "I did it," he spoke into the radio, almost in disbelief.

It was over.

"You did great Irvine," the voice he recognized as Squall's spoke softly on the other end. Squall had been there for him, which he didn't expect. He may not have pulled the trigger, but Irvine felt he deserved just as much credit for what happened, because without his words, Irvine figured he would still be on the floor, sulking in how pathetic and gutless he was.

"Now get out of there, and meet me at the rendezvous point," Squall spoke quickly and sharply, and the radio cut out. Irvine continued to smile and take in a few more deep breaths, but was interrupted by the sounds of screams, fire whistles and sirens began to blare across the city, as they expected. Irvine then quickly began disassembling his rifle and placing it back into the case, but was startled as his radio began buzzing. He adjusted the frequency and started to hear a voice on the other end.

_"Te...a Str...yker, thi... is t..ea.. R...chet, do y...opy?" _he heard bits of a fragmented message, until he found the proper frequency and heard the familiar female voice on the other end..._ "Team Stryker, can you hear me?"_

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Foxhound Underground Base**

**2202 hrs**

The war room beneath the streets of the city in the top secret Foxhound base was alive with excitement after witnessing what they believed was the sorceress meeting her planned termination, despite moments earlier, the room being alarmingly silent with uncertainty. However, nervousness still loomed heavy, since television broadcasts couldn't get a close up view of what happened, and the cameras that were close got caught up in the volatile riot that soon followed. The city was going crazy and there would most definitely be casualties, but acceptable ones considering the alternative.

General Caraway stood in the back of the room with Qustis, not saying a word. They continued viewing various broadcasts, which at the moment were merely reporting that something had happened to the sorceress but didn't have much more information than that to pass along. So the soldiers and SeeD's were left to contemplate their fate still, even if there was a bit more optimism than before.

"GENERAL!" one of the G-Army members of the support team suddenly shot out of his seat from his station on the side of the room. The general stepped forward in anticipation of the words he was hopefully about to hear, "Confirmed report, the target has been neutralized!"

The entire room let out a collective sigh of relief, as well as several yelps of excitement, and a few soldiers gave high fives and even embraces in celebration that their mission was a success. Obviously, they weren't out of the woods yet, but the fact that they wouldn't have to live in fear of the sorceress' or Deling's reprisal was enough to get most of them giddy.

Caraway ran both of his hands over his face and then over the back of his head as he felt the ponderous weight of the world lift off his shoulders. He shook his head and began to laugh a bit, darkly amused by how dour the situation looked just minutes earlier. After a moment of doing mental backflips within his mind, he glanced over and noticed Quistis, who was still fixed in her inanimate stance with a vacant expression. There was a touch of relief of her face, but was hinting at concern as she continued staring at the screen,

Caraway slowly walked over and extended a congratulatory hand, "Nice work, Sergeant Trepe," he greeted. She slowly looked down to his hand, and then quickly back to him with a forced smile on her face as she returned the gesture and shook his hand.

"Thank you, General," she responded with apprehension. Amongst the group, she was the only one who wasn't in high spirits.

Caraway leaned into her closer, "Is there something wrong? I would think you would be more pleased with the results," he followed up, interested in her retort.

Quistis shook her head, "I am, sir...just nerves, I guess," she informed him with a small, albeit contrived laugh. Caraway smiled and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, and then made his way around the room, greeting other members of the team on a successful mission.

While Quistis knew she had a tendency to become neurotic even in the most clear cut situations, something just didn't feel right. Even though the mission was specifically designed to eliminate unneeded complications and make things as smooth as possible, this seemed _TOO_ easy. _The sorceress, with the power to conquer nations and kill hordes of people simply by blinking, was eliminated by a single, well placed bullet? _In the end, sorceresses were still flesh and blood and that wasn't exactly out of the question, but it just seemed oversimplified. If it was the president, she wouldn't be questioning it, but the sorceress, who had unimaginable powers in abilities was taken out by one pull of the trigger.

Quistis wanted desperately to buy into it, but her mind kept rejecting the deposit.

As she started to drown in her lake of uncertainty, Selphie threw her a life preserver and called out to her.

"Quistis, General...we are finally getting a signal from Team Stryker," she exclaimed across the room, delivering what sounded like even more good news. Both quickly made their way over to Selphie as she fiddled around with the touch-screen display for a moment, before clearing the frequency and patching through.

"Team Stryker, this is team Ricochet, do you copy?" Selphie spoke, but received no reply at first. She continued to make adjustments as Quistis and Caraway overlooked, "Team Stryker, can you hear me?" she again called out, and this time, after a few moments, got the response they were hoping for.

"Loud and clear!" the cowboy-ish voice spoke with heightened enthusiasm on the other end, which in turn excited those listening.

"What happened to the signal?" Quistis cut in and asked Irvine.

"I dunno," he replied, sounding a bit confused, "Assumed you chaps just got quiet." Regardless of the reason, it was irrelevant now. The mission was over and it was time to call his people back in.

"Nevermind that! Where is your team leader?" Caraway demanded, ready to direct Squall on exactly what to do next.

"He...oh..." Irvine began immediately, but suddenly came to a screeching halt in his reply. There was a long pause with no answer aside from quick, small breaths on Irvine's end.

"Where is he!?" Caraway demanded again.

"Umm..." Irvine replied with obvious trepidation in his voice, which put Quistis on edge, before he replied with an answer none of them were expecting, "At the palace..."

"What!? Why the hell is he there?" Caraway shot back angrily, "Why did you deviate from the plan?"

"Uhh...he had to go over to help...someone," Irvine spoke slowly, obviously stalling. He was clearly holding something back, and was reluctant to divulge exactly what.

"What are you talking about? WHO?" the general furiously demanded, tired of Irvine beating around the bush.

"Ummm..." Irvine nervously began on the other side, and the general's teeth grit with friction. The next answer the young man gave would provide more clarity as to why he was circumspectly avoiding answering.

"Your..._ahem_...daughter," Irvine replied, his voice fading as he informed the general, but it was more than audible.

Quistis and Selphie shot a stunned look at each other and then looked to Caraway, as did everyone else in the room who had heard the news. The general stood straight up with a expressionless gaze on his face, "Wha..." the word didn't even finish escaping his mouth as the general stumbled backwards a bit, the update clearly overwhelming him at the moment. He just stood in the same spot, motionless and stared ahead, trying to make sense of it all_. How did she escape the mansion? How did she get to the palace? What was she doing there? Was she harmed? Was she currently in danger? _Despite the onslaught of questions, there was not a single answer to be found in his mind.

"THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, KINNEAS!" Caraway suddenly erupted, as his eyes flooded with every imaginable emotion.

"She jus' sorta'...showed up, while the sorceress was talkin'" Irvine informed the general, who narrowed his brow, but it still provide no insight as to why she was there, "But she's alright, Gen. Squall.." Irvine began to inform the general, but was cut off instantaneously.

"PATCH ME THROUGH TO LEONHART!...NOW!" the general ordered to Selphie, who began trying to find a hot spot near the mansion, but could not. Something near the mansion was now disabling any radio contact. Despite her best efforts, Selphie was having no luck, which infuriated the general.

"HURRY THE FUCK UP! ARE ALL SEED'S AS SLOW AND INCOMPETANT AS YOU ARE!? " he turbulently insulted Selphie, who seemed shaken and offended. Quists was getting fed up with the general's childish conniptions, but refrained from intervening given the circumstances with his daughter.

"...Sir, I'm sorry, but I can't get through," Selphie answered, seeming regretful, and a bit timid of how he would react. Quistis put a foot forward, as she watched Caraway's eyes flare even more, ready to step in if he verbally abused her again, but the general pulled it back, closed his eyes, and collected himself.

After a moment, his eyes opened, and he again spoke, "Kinneas...you get your ass over there now, you hear me!" he ordered with repressed rage.

"Sir, she is fine, Squall is..." Irvine again tried to notify him, but the general didn't want to hear backtalk at the moment, he just wanted results.

"I DONT GIVE A FUCK WHAT HE SAID! GET OVER THERE OR YOU'LL BE SPENDING THE NEXT TEN YEARS AT D-DISTRICT YOU STUPID LITTLE PRICK! DO I MAKE MY SELF CLEAR!?" the general screamed as loud as he could and slammed his down on the black wooden panel at Selphie's station, breathing heavily and rattling the workstation. Irvine, who was on the other end, paused briefly and then softly replied.

"Yes, sir," he stated, sounding a bit worried, but also agitated by the threat. After hearing his reply, the general removed his earpiece, stood straight up and looked around the room, seeing about sixteen sets of eyes glued onto him.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU ALL LOOOKING AT!? GET BACK TO WORK!" he again thundered at everyone, who all immediately diverted their glares elsewhere. As the storm inside him died down a bit, Quistis could see the fear within his eyes for his daughter. She couldn't imagine what he was going through, and once again couldn't blame him for losing his cool.

But even so, it was getting old, and wasn't accomplishing anything.

She only hoped the general could keep it together long enough to make it through the night.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City - Presidential Palace**

**2202 hrs**

Squall continued to stare through his binoculars at the gruesome scene under the North Gateway. He watched the bullet make soup out of the sorceress' brains two minutes earlier, but still found it hard to believe. He was waiting for that reassuring sensation to wash over him, and accept that things had actually gone according to plan, but the SeeD in him wouldn't allow it. While he always held out hope that the single bullet would be enough to finish the job, deep down, he never believed it actually would.

_Not with her...she was a fucking sorceress. You don't fuck with them. _

He never knew what happened to Adel or how her plans were thwarted nearly twenty years ago. Only Esthar knew that and that information was never shared with the rest of the world. But even so, Squall was willing to bet it wasn't from the blast of a gun, especially considering that she was able to topple smaller army and navy's single handedly, with very little help from Esthar troops that served under her at the time.

He watched as the gates opened and soldiers began pouring in, along with an ambulance that backed into the float in an attempt to help her, but from what Squall could make out, there was no way she could've survived that. She hadn't moved once, the soldiers all stood around like there was nothing they could do, and most importantly, parts of her head were scattered messily all over the place.

_She didn't need an ambulance. She needed a coroner. _

The most shocking thing about it was that many of the soldiers and civilians seemed legitimately concerned. _Did they actually care that she was dead? Did anyone?_ She had just threatened the welfare of the entire planet, and yet for some reason, panic and devastation took over and there were riots throughout the city, mainly along the parade route, but were being handled by the DCPD and the Galbadian national guard. Even if she had placed some type of spell on them, he surmised that it's effects would've died along with her, but he didn't know enough about sorcery to deeply question it.

In the midst of his lingering suspicions and doubts, he glanced up, noticing Rinoa standing, looking towards the gateway, distressed. It was evident that she was extremely rattled. Being the daughter of a war general her entire life had definitely made her strong in many ways, but in the end, she still wasn't a soldier, no matter how much she wanted to be. She was lucky to even be alive at the moment, and Squall was shocked that she wasn't shot as soon as she stepped onto the palace grounds, or that the sorceress didn't eradicate her immediately, instead of leaving Rinoa as chum for her oversized pet iguana which Squall disposed of.

Squall stood up, and as he did, could see tears in her eyes. _Tears of fear, frustration, sadness_...the entire ordeal was just too much for someone like her to handle, and she seemed like she knew it.

"Are you okay?" Squall asked in a softened voice. She wiped her soggy eyes dry with her fingers, and then crossed her arms as she watched the madness continue to sweep though the city.

"You know...I was so mad at you...when you treated me like I was out of my league. Like I didn't belong there with you guys. I was like, _'who does this guy think he is, treating me like some weak little girl'_," she elaborated as she looked off, but then glanced over to him, and turned, stepping closer to him, "But now I see why. I always thought I could do anything. I knew I wasn't a fighter, but I thought that I could handle seeing death around me, or staring it in the face...but, I...just can't."

Squall just listened, because there wasn't much he could really say, but it was a realization he hoped she would've came to prior to this incident, which nearly cost her everything.

"You're a hero, Squall. You're able to stare death in the face and not blink, while I closed my eyes and cried for help. You put yourself in harm's way simply because you're told to," she explained and Squall just glanced down, not really comfortable with the flattery she was throwing at him. Suddenly she rested a soft hand on his chest, atop his torn black shirt near his heart and stepped in closer to him, "Despite how you come off at times, I know there is more to you...more than you let on. In _HERE_...compassion for others, dreams for the future...even..._love_," she whispered to him in a gentle, caring and soothing manner.

She was touching his heart, in more ways than one. Still, the defense mechanisms inside him began to spring into action, as they usually did.

"Rinoa..."

"Please Squall," she cut him off, and then removed her hand from his chest, "I'm not trying to make you feel uncomfortable. My point was just that...despite all my intentions, no matter how pure and well intended they may be...I'm not like you. I can't take action the way you can. I don't have the same courage...and I learned that today," she explained, obviously disheartened, and walked towards the doorway, standing there with her back to him.

Squall took a deep breath and stepped forward. He again felt drawn to say something, at least his heart was. His mind was telling him to stop being such a pussy, but as it had most of the day...his heart took control.

"There is more to courage than being able to fight or face death," he softly began and she turned to him, feeling at peace more and more with each word he spoke to her, "Even the biggest cowards can inflict violence and death...look at Deling. It's the _willingness_ to fight, and stand against scum like him that makes you brave, Rinoa. Me, Quistis, Zell...we have years of training with weapons and guardian forces...but you...you just had the will to do what you felt was right, even if you were defenseless. And while it was INCREDIBLY stupid to come here...it's still one of the most courageous things I've ever seen," he finished, and she again, found herself overcome with emotion.

"Thank you.." she spoke to him with a light grin on her face, even though inside she was smiling from ear to ear.

_The ice was starting to crack._

Squall nodded, but realized they had to get moving, "Let's get out of here," he told her evenly, and she nodded and turned.

Just as they took a few steps into the ballroom, they both heard what sounded like heavy footsteps tapping on the floor out in the hallway. The sound of the slow clopping of the boots was pulsing through the hall and into the room, and with the only light being the faintly lit balcony lamps on the outside, it was a very daunting atmosphere at that moment.

Squall was unphased though, and used his right arm to guide Rinoa behind him, behind his protection. He moved forward, feeling her step stride for stride behind him. He rested his hand on his gunblade while the steps became louder, as if they were getting closer to the room. He continued moving forward, feeling as Rinoa buried her head in between his shoulder blades, and could feel her trembling behind him.

As they reached the middle of the room and were crossing the dance floor, another noise stopped him in his tracks. The sound of..._clapping_. _Gloved hands clapping_, _slowly._..._clap...clap...clap_. The steady singular applauses got louder as it neared the room. Rinoa momentarily peaked out behind Squall's shoulder, still scared but confused as to what the sound actually was.

Suddenly, shrouded in the nearly perfect darkness of the hallway, a human figure emerged. Squall could only trace a subtle outline of the individual as he could barely make anything out. He just continued to hear clapping as the mystery person stood there, continuing the slow ovation. Abruptly, it stopped, and Squall perceived what looked like the figure turning its head and then its entire body.

Masked by the shadows, the unannounced party crasher took a step into the room. _One step...then a second..then a third_. Squall backed up with Rinoa behind him, tightening his grip on the handle of his weapon, ready to draw it if necessary. He wouldn't normally back away, but didn't want to put Rinoa at risk, especially considering he didn't know what he was dealing with.

After a few more steps towards them, the light began to creep up onto the shrouded stranger who was approaching them, but before the glow of the outer lamps could reveal him, the figure stopped and spoke; the familiar caustic tone causing Squall's eyes to nearly pop out of his head.

"Isn't fate a funny thing, Leonhart?" the young man's voice beckoned as he again stepped forward. This time, Squall stepped forward as well, almost drawn to the voice, which he still didn't believe he was hearing. As the trenchcoated figure came into the light, his identity was confirmed. He stood there with his patented pompous grin on his scratched face, with his green eyes narrowed and focused on his long time rival.

Squall couldn't even get a word out, as he expected never to hear the voice or see that face again, but the young blond rebel was alive and well, and standing a mere ten feet away from him.

For a moment, Squall forgot about the young lady behind him, but as she peaked around his shoulder and saw the familiar face across the dance floor, she gasped in absolute astonishment.

"Sei..." she began to mumble as she walked out from around Squall, whose eyes were still fixated on the pair standing across from him, almost entranced by them, "Seifer...you're alive!" the voice cried out and dashed towards the one and only, _Seifer Almasy_, who had seemingly returned from the dead.

It wasn't until Rinoa was a few feet ahead of him did Squall snap back to reality, but by then it was too late to stop her, "RINOA NO!" and stepped forward, but she reached Seifer almost in unison. As she opened her arms to embrace her former flame, he reached forward, snagged her by the elbow and pulled her into him closely, using his left arm to restrain her to the point where she couldn't budge. Rinoa was facing away from him, and she could tell something was wrong.

"Seifer, what are you doing?" she groaned, feeling as his hold became tight to the point that she was having trouble breathing and starting gasping for air. Squall noticed this and took a few steps forward with a pissed look on his face.

"Let her go, Seifer!" he insisted, and Seifer smiled in amusement, "Don't make yet _another_ mistake you'll regret," he candidly stated, and Seifer began to laugh rather hard, still grasping hard onto his captive.

"Aww, how cute," Seifer chuckled loudly, and then loosened his grip on Rinoa to the point where she could at the least wiggle around. He then leaned his moth towards her left ear as she looked at Squall, scared, "You hear that Rin...Squall likes you! Squall never likes girls," he teased a bit, but then suddenly, his expression became more serious.

"Very well," Seifer acknowledged Squall, and let a wave of energy flow from his hand and through the dark haired girls body, causing her to fall limp in his arms. He smiled once again and then pushed Rinoa and she slid along the length of the polished dance floor to the far left side of the room, onto the carpet, near a grand piano on the other side. Squall took a few steps in her direction out of concern but was stopped by Seifer's voice.

"Relax Leonhart," Seifer stated, holding up his hands innocently and haltingly. As Squall halted and looked at him, Seifer lowered his hands and put them on his hips, "She is only sleeping, and by the time she wakes up, you'll be sleeping too. You, however, WON'T be waking up," he threatened Squall casually.

Up until that moment, Squall wasn't sure what his intentions were, but it had become clear that Seifer was in league with the now deceased sorceress. He hadn't changed much outwardly aside from his attire, but there was something different about him. He always carried himself with bravado and cockiness, and while it was still littered his in his persona, there was something else. A sort of regal presence about him that made him seem much more adult and confident.

_TRULY_ confident, not Seifer's usually smug, overbearing machismo.

"Who would've ever thought things would turn out this way?" Seifer asked as he took a few steps forward, but Squall didn't budge. Once within five or so feet, Seifer stopped and priggishly leered at Squall, pointing a gloved finger into his face, "Being a SeeD could never compare to what I have become!" he bragged.

Squall shook his head, still not entirely sure what that was, "What? A lapdog to an insane sorceress?" he questioned sternly. Seifer nodded, amusingly, and then shrugged as he began to slip his trench coat off his broad shoulders, revealing the knightly black armor underneath.

"Call it what you want. I prefer to be called her '_knight'_! My DREAM...a dream beyond dreams...one that I never imagined would be fulfilled!" he exclaimed, sounding as if he reached the apex of his existence, "I wish I could share this experience with you…but there is room for only one knight in the sorceress's court…" he continued, and then tossed his coat to the side before pointing as Squall again, and finishing, "…and that, is me!"

Squall could see that Seifer truly had lost his mind, or was brainwashed as so many others seemed to be. However, even if Seifer truly was her guardian at one point, his mission failed after Irvine put a bullet in her head.

"She's dead Seifer. It's over," Squall informed him to which Seifer merely gave a subtle, dark chuckle and nodded.

"Is it, Squall?" he questioned cockily, and then reached to his hip, slowly drawing Hyperion from his side and pointing it at his long time adversary, "I've grown weary of this game. It is time to end this rivalry, once and for all!" he contended in a challenging manner.

For a moment, Squall stood there, unflinchingly, staring at Seifer. He didn't know what the sorceress had done to him or if any trace of the old Seifer still existed within the man standing before him. But this wasn't the same old dance card anymore. If Seifer truly intended on battling Squall to the death, Squall knew he couldn't hesitate, mainly because he knew Seifer sure as hell wouldn't.

Squall unsheathed his gunblade slowly and stood there, staring at the blond, who still had the tip of his blade aimed at Squall's chest, which is where he likely intended to plunge it.

Squall slowly gripped Revolver with both hands in front of him, slowly raised the blade up near the side of his head, and then charged forward with ferociousness in his eyes. He watched Seifer's smirk enlarge as he got closer, and as Squall swung the blade down, Seifer spun with blazing speed. He raised Hyperion swiftly and their blades clashed together, with the familiar ring of their metal blades clashing together resonating throughout the ballroom.

"You hear that, Squall?" Seifer asked as they were face to face with their blades pressed together, and began looking around as the ring bounced from wall to wall. Seifer then returned his glowing green eyes to Squall's intense blue ones, "That's the sound of your impending demise," the blonde informed Squall, who again glared heatedly at Seifer and then pushed off, spun around, and again took a battle stance as Seifer did the same.

Their final duel had begun.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Balamb Garden**

**2207 hours**

"MOVE!" the Estharian female shouted to a group of teenage SeeD cadets standing in the middle of the hallway, blocking the path.

The group cleared off to the side as the woman raced by them, feeling a gust as she sped through the hall with Guardian Force enhanced speed. The halls of Garden were always so peaceful in the evening hours, but it did nothing to quell the fire currently raging inside of her. She was breathing heavily, not out of exhaustion but rather out of fear. As she jumped the flight stairs and came to the elevator doors on the first floor, she slammed her finger on the button several times intolerantly. After a short moment, the doors opened, and she again repeatedly tapped the button inside to take her to the top floor.

The elevator moved painfully slow, and she wanted nothing more to jump through the ceiling and climb up the shaft herself, which would've likely been much quicker, and at the moment, wasn't out of the question. _Time was of the essence._

Instead, she spent the long minute of the slow ascension with her eyes closed, cussing herself and praying. She knew she shouldn't have left his side that night. She had a feeling something bad might happen, but nothing like this. She expected Deling to meet his end that night, although not in the way that it actually happened, and battled with herself whether to go check on him at that point, but ultimately, decided against it. However, after it was confirmed that the sorceress had been gunned down, it was if she felt a ticking time bomb was about to go off, and for all she knew, it already had.

Finally, the elevator reached the top floor, as she shimmied through the partially open doors sideways, dashed through the waiting area, past her desk and went to open the Headmaster's door, which wouldn't budge. She frantically grabbed the keys from her pocket and tried to unlock it, but to no avail, as Cid had secured the door with the master deadbolt, which could only be unlocked from the other side.

In her five years as the Headmaster's assistant, he had never used the master deadbolt.

She pounded on his door with her open palm, "Headmaster! Headmaster please open up!" she shouted and pressed her ear against the door, but heard absolutely nothing. She slammed against it a few more times, but got the same response.

Not wasting any time as she feared the worst, she backed up about five feet, built up momentum as she charged the door, and with her enhanced strength, delivered a powerful thrusting front kick to the sturdy wooden door. Both of the double doors she kicked came off their hinges, with the one she delivered the blow to flying into the tall pillar in the center of the room and cracking before it fell loudly to the floor.

The office was rather dark aside from the miniature touch lamp on his desk, which only really illuminated the small area around it. Xu ran over, and looked at the slightly turned leather chair, which was empty, with hundreds of personal photos scattered all over his desk and on the floor. There was also a small, handcrafted wooden box on his desk with unique designs on it. She had never seen it before, and while she was still worried as to Cid's whereabouts, wanted to see what it was. She walked over, and with two fingers slowly eased the lid open, seeing inside the hollow imprint of what appeared to be a small bottle, which was likely filled with booze.

Unless he had left the top floor, which was impossible since the master deadbolt was locked , the only other place she figured he could've been was his bedroom. She glanced over at the door off to the side, which was closed as it usually was. She breathed in and out respectively with each step she took, with her heart pounding at an alarming rate. As she neared the door, she wrapped her hand around the gold handle and then pressed her head tightly against the wood and closed her eyes. Part of her dreaded what she might find inside, but she didn't have a choice.

Xu twisted the unlocked handle, and slowly inched the door open, little by little. There was small nightlight on by Cid's bed, and she saw him lying there, peacefully. His glasses rested on the nightstand next to the alarm clock and a picture of his wife, and a half drank glass of what was likely scotch or whiskey. Xu eased into the room silently, not wanting to disturb him as he slept. The coming days were going to be unbearable for him in all likelihood, so he needed it.

As she came up next to the bed, she leaned over his slumbering form. He was lying on his chest with the side of his face buried into the fluff pillow and was nestled under the covers within the cool, air conditioned room. She placed a soft hand on the center of his back, feeling light breaths, in and out, which in turn lowered her heart rate and made her breathe a sigh of relief. She was still very concerned for him, but at the very least, she could be there to console him in the morning.

Feeling everything was as it should be, at least for the time being, she smiled down at Cid as she reached over to switch off the nightlight. Just as she did, she heard what sounded like light drops of water, but didn't know where they were coming from. She glanced down to where it sounded like the noise was coming from, but the floor was too dark to see, so she knelt down and ran her finger along the floor until she felt something wet touch her fingers.

As she raised her hand into the path of the low light, and saw that her fingers were coated with a red substance, a morosely horrific feeling exploded within her and erupted into her expression. She shot up, grabbed the covers draped over the Headmasters body and threw them off, and nearly fainted in shock as a scene from a horror movie seemed to play out in front of her.

"Oh my gaw..." she incoherently breathed out as she jumped backwards, stifling a terrified scream within her. The cover sheet wrapped around the mattress was soaked and pooling with blood, noticing immediately, that both of the Headmaster's wrists had deep gashes in them, and blood was still pouring out, along with his chances of survival.

Her instincts returned quickly and she reached to his right wrist and a bright, colorful energy pulsed through her fingertips and into his arm. The energy flowed through as the powerful cure spell gathered at the site of the cut, she watched the blood flow from his wrist cease and the cut healed up a bit and clotted. She reached over Cid's body and grabbed his other sliced wrist and did the same, but after several seconds of failed attempts, it was clear that the gash was too deep to fix with curative magic.

With tears in her eyes and a morbid fear flowing through her, she grabbed her mobile SeeD communication device and contacted the infirmary. After several rings, the on-call medic answered the phone and greeted her.

"This is Field Captain Xu Riann, SeeD ID 77212...I have a possible 10-56A on the top floor of Garden. The victim is Headmaster Cid Kramer with multiple deep lacerations to both wrists, with possible damage to both his ulnar and radial arteries! Send a med team up here stat and prepare for emergency surgery!", she pleaded on the brink of tears, knowing each second could be his last. As she received confirmation a team was on its way, she clicked out, and tended to the wounded man beside her.

Quickly, she reached to his neck to check for a pulse, noticing at once how faint it was. She knelt down by his side and placed a hand on his back where it had been before, trying to think of something she could try that might help him, but knew that it was out of her hands, and all she could do was wait and pray to Hyne that Cid Kramer would live to see another day.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City - Presidential Palace**

**2217 hrs**

Squall looked up, feeling a hard backhand swat his right eye and he fell to a knee. He had been sparring with Seifer for nearly ten minutes, and as much as Squall hated to admit it, he was overmatched. In the time since he last battled Seifer, the blonde had become, faster, stronger, more agile, and worst of all, more intelligent. The same cocky shifting and taunting remained, but unlike previous outings, Squall couldn't capitalize on the them. He quite obviously had a Guardian Force junctioned, but he also seemed to be empowered by another force, and Seifer personally seemed to be different, even if those changes weren't entirely clear.

Squall had managed to parry and counter many of his strikes, but it seemed as if Seifer was merely toying with him at that point. Squall counted three separate instances in which the sorceress' knight could've ended the battle and his life, but instead waited for Squall to return to form and allowed the battle to continue. So, either Seifer was savoring his dominance, or part of the old Seifer was still in there and was hesitant to kill him.

_Maybe both. _

"You really are boring me Squall," Seifer laughed as he again refused to seize his chance to end the fight, and turned his back to Squall as he walked away from him, "Then again, you never were much of a challenge," Seifer finished and then turned, watching Squall rise back to his feet.

"Even as a lapdog, you still won't shut up," Squall talked down to his cocky adversary, who chuckled with a hint of aggression.

"Oh Leonhart..." he said as he paced back and forth along the wood flooring, "Who is truly the lapdog, here? My queen has shared her kingdom with me, and I stand by the side of her mighty throne! While you dance like a puppet for that fat fuck back at Garden, and do whatever they tell you to do! My calling serves a purpose...one that will reshape the entire world, and that starts with eliminating you!" Seifer finished, again pointing Hyperion right at his rival.

Squall could see Seifer had changed, but there was always one thing Seifer never tolerated, and that was disrespect. Even in their younger days, Squall found ways to make the blonde's temper work against him, and even though Seifer had seemingly shrugged off the 'lapdog' comment, could hear the vexation in Seifer's tone, and thought it may be time to resort to old tactics.

"At least I chose my path, Seifer. I CHOSE to be a SeeD. I CHOSE to live this life, even if it did lead to me taking orders," Squall began, luring Seifer into his dialogue as they stared at each other, "YOU...your path was chosen for you, Seifer. Your powers were handed to you like the good little mutt you are. You act like you earned your place, but you and I both know..." Squall continued, seeing the unbridled fury burn in Seifer's eyes, and looked as if Seifer was standing on the edge of insanity.

Squall provided the nudge he needed.

"...That I would make a better knight than you EVER would!" Squall finished with spite, mirroring his counterpart and pointing his blade right at Seifer.

The top flew off and Seifer dashed forward with malice fueling each step he took in Squall's direction. Seifer wound Hyperion around and slashed from right to left towards Squall's neck but missed as Squall lunged backwards. The blonde followed up with a half-assed thrust which Squall easily swept away with his blade. Finally, Seifer spun around, jumped, and attempted to deliver a swiping vertical strike, cleaving the sword downward at Squall's head.

Squall saw his opportunity and raised his gunblade above his head horizontally to block the attack, causing the ring of the blades clashing to fill the room again. While Seifer's body was still descending, Squall took his right hand off the handle of Revolver and spun underneath his blocking blade. As Seifer's feet touched the ground, Squall delivered a GF enhanced elbow to Seifer's midsection, causing him to gasp hard and arch forward a bit. Squall then spun, regripped his gunblade with both hands and swung at the base of Seifer's sword as hard as he could, which swatted Hyperion from his single-handed grasp. Squall finished by again spinning around, taking his right hand off his weapon again, and delivered a powerful uppercut to Seifer's chin. The added power of Quezecotl lifted Seifer into the air and he hit the ground hard.

Seifer lied on the floor, a bit injured but laughing through small intakes for air, and then raised his head to look at Squall, who had both hands back on his blade, and had it pointed at Seifer.

"Nicely done," the blonde chuckled out as he nodded, truly impressed at how Squall took him down. Suddenly, Seifer casted his left hand in Squall's direction, but Squall was prepared this time, unlike at the training grounds a few weeks earlier. He raised his arm as well and a shield of 'shell' para-magic protected him from any magic Seifer might dish at him.

Unfortunately for Squall, he wasn't incredibly skilled with protective magic and could only cast a light shell shield him in front of his body. As he continued approaching Seifer he felt as an extremely powerful draft of wind took his legs out clean from underneath him, almost like a carpet had been pulled out beneath his feet. He flew into the air and landed on his back hard, and Revolver momentarily slipped from his left hand.

Squall wasn't hurt at all, just mildly stunned, after Seifer cleverly used wind magic to his advantage. As Squall reached over to grab the handle of Revolver, he watched as a heavy black boot slammed hard onto his inner forearm. Quickly he looked up and saw Seifer hovering over him, driving his other boot down hard towards his chest. Before Squall could react, the force of the blow knocked the wind out of his body and his head shot up. As it did, Squall's eyes saw Seifer's hand raised again, with a swirling blue gleam spiraling around his palm, and a split second later, watched as a jetting stream of water shot forth and right into his face.

Seifer's powerful spell shot out like water from a fire hose, slamming Squall's head back into the ground with force, dazing him. On top of that, Squall couldn't see anything and he couldn't breath, drowning under powerful blast of the liquid magic. He couldn't break free of Seifer's feet which were pinning him down, and was to disoriented by the force of the magic in his face to use his other arm to do anything. And as much as he tried to move his head around, he only managed to draw split-second breaths of oxygen as Seifer continued to unleash the wet spell in his face.

At that moment, Seifer held Squall's life in his hands.

"You see Squall, it has to be this way!" Squall could make out Seifer's shouts over the raging rush of water spiking his face, "You have always been like a dorky little brother to me, but there comes a time when we have to say goodbye to those who we care about!" Seifer explained, almost sounding remorseful. Squall began choking on the water as his jetted up his nose and caught in his throat. He still couldn't breath, and felt himself getting weaker, as Quezacotl's was powerless to stop such an attack.

After nearly two minutes, Squall began to feel his consciousness drift away, but unexpectedly, the water stopped. Squall could hardly move and just started choking out mouthfuls of liquid, as he laid there, soaking wet and nearly incapacitated. Through blurred vision, he glanced up, seeing Seifer staring down at him. The blonde crouched down, and spoke softly.

"But, I will not cheapen your death, my friend," Seifer spoke, rather reverently, before standing straight up again. Off to the side, amongst the puddles of water on the dance floor, Squall eyed Hyperion lying a few feet behind Seifer. Squall glanced over by his hand, noticing Revolver was still within reach if Seifer removed his boot from his arm. However, just as he did, Seifer kicked Revolver away with force, several feet out of arm's distance.

Seifer backed away slowly, keeping his eyes set on Squall as he neared his own weapon. Squall again tried to move but was still extremely staggered, and expectorating the water still swimming in his lungs. He continued coughing and wheezing as he lied there, watching as Seifer knelt down beside Hyperion and wrapped his gloved hands around the handle. He then raised the dark blade in front of him, admiring its perfection moments before it would relinquish the life of the young man lying before him.

Squall's eyes flickered open and closed as his head rolled to his side, almost at a point he would rather Seifer just decapitate him than bore him with some honorable knightly code. He watched one drop of water after another trickle down from his wet, almond bangs of hair, now messily matted against his forehead and some hanging down within his field of vision. They dripped to the floor into a small pool, each drop representing the fleeting moments he had left to live. His eyes trailed back up as Seifer again addressed him.

"You will die by my blade...as a warrior, and my greatest rival," Seifer delicately spoke each word, but the statement thundered through Squall's mind. He could barely move, and even if he tried to make a dash towards his weapon, he was in no condition to challenge Seifer at that moment.

Squall then noticed a small puddle right next to him, and his eyes followed the trail of water, tracing the wet path with his eyes as it flowed into a rather large puddle upon the dance floor, just in front of where Seifer stood. As Seifer took a step forward, Squall began to creep his hand towards the water inches away. Squall tried to remain subtle in his efforts, as not to clue Seifer in to his intentions.

"I shall carry your blood on my blade as I rise into triumph," Seifer spoke with self glorification, as he took a step forward and then another, until his foot finally splashed down into the puddle before him. Squall then swept his hand into the water next to him, and focused intensely, "...and you will be at my side as the world kneels befo..." Seifer continued, until currents of painful electricity ran through his body.

Seifer fell to a knee weakly and then looked up, noticing that Squall was electrifying the pool of water beneath his feet. Seifer pushed himself up, using Hyperion as a crutch and focusing with his own GF, which made him stronger in that moment. Squall could see that the magic was losing its effect, but knew this was likely his only chance to free himself of the fate Seifer had in store for him. He slowly closed his eyes, and prayed to Hyne and Quezecotl for their help. He felt as his trusty _bird of thunder _squealed loudly within his head, and then felt a flash in his mind, and then a burning sensation that flowed from his head, to his shoulder, through his arm, into his hand and fingers and then finally into the puddle of water.

It seemed as if Quezecotl himself swam through Squall's body and was now brilliantly lighting up the entire room, as sharp blue and yellow volts of electric energy brightened the room and began burning through Seifer's armor and defenses. Seifer screamed in agony as the lightning raced throughout every inch of his body, and emanated from his eyes and mouth, until finally a bright blast lifted him into the air, and his body fell back to the ground a few feet back from where he was initially standing.

The light disappeared and Quezacotl returned to Squall's mind, albeit weak and out of energy. The guardian had done its job, though.

Squall struggled to his feet, and stumbled as he stood, sweeping wet strands of hair out of his eyes as he looked over at Seifer. Still depleted of most of his energy, he limped towards his opponent, who was lying on the dance floor with smoke rising from his armor, and Squall could smell what was likely burnt flesh underneath. Seifer's face was reddened and purple, and the area around his eyes appeared to be blackened. His body was twitching involuntarily due to the aftereffects of the electricity, and he was coughing a bit with smoke escaping his mouth as he did. As Squall approached, he reached down and grabbed a knife from his lap strap, knelt down on Seifer's chest and pressed the sharp, serrated combat blade next to Seifer's jugular.

Just as the cold steel touched his skin, Seifer's eyes slowly opened, and he looked directly at Squall, and in typical Seifer fashion, belted out a humored chuckle, "Bravo Squall, Bravo. You have learned from me," he coughed out in a congratulatory manner, still taking credit for Squall's ability to protect himself.

Seifer let his head fall back and lay on the floor, still twitching and depleted of energy, "Now, finish what you started..." he challenged Squall to kill him, even though he knew Squall wouldn't honor that request.

"You're going back to Garden, Seifer. Its over!" Squall answered heatedly in still heavy breaths. Again, Seifer's laugh flooded the room.

"Oh contraire, Leonhart," he answered abstrusely, as if alluding to something, "As a matter of fact, it's only just begun!"

Squall stared at him with an empty expression for a moment and then leaned in, "You're losing it, Seifer," he whispered, then retracted the blade away from Seifer's neck and slammed the hard handle into Seifer's temple, knocking him out cold and shutting him up.

Squall arose slowly and continued glaring down at the now unconscious Seifer. Part of him felt bad for the blonde rebel. All Seifer ever wanted was to feel like he was part of something and had a grander purpose than SeeD could offer him. The sorceress made him a promise, and she deluded him into believing his aspirations of greatness were coming true, but now he was alone, again. The only question now was what would happen to him? _Would he be tried back at Garden? Would the Galbadian Army hold him as a war criminal? Did Seifer ever have anything left to live for?_

Sadly, it was out of Squall's hands, and he knew it. _Breaking out of Garden, attacking innocents, killing Galbadian soldiers and aiding the sorceress. _ Even if Edea had corrupted Seifer's mind further, Seifer's lust for power existed long before that, and that's ultimately why he was now in the position he was in.

Seifer had no one but Seifer to blame.

Squall raised his head and took in several more deep breaths before looking to the side of the room, noticing Rinoa was still asleep courtesy of Seifer. As he prepared to step over Seifer's body and go to her aid, a small beaming object on the outside caught his eye. It was a tiny speck of light, floating gracefully in the air out on the balcony. It buzzed around gently like a lightning bug, with its light trailing behind it, but it was completely out of place.

Out of sheer curiosity. Squall began to approach it, and it became clear after a few steps that it wasn't a bug all, but rather just a small sphere of white lit energy hovering around in a sporadic directions, but wasn't threatening at all. In fact, it was quite the opposite as Squall felt drawn to it. It was a welcoming radiance, feeling its warmth as the closer he got. He felt like a child again, without a care in the world. He suddenly had flashbacks of soothing voices and aromas such as roasted marshmallows over a fire and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. It felt like a sisterly hand was pulling him towards the light, and he felt oddly and completely, _at peace_, and closed his eyes.

He stood there, and through his closed eyelids, could still see the pure essence of light getting brighter, and as it did continued to sooth his mind and soul. He took a deep breath as salty ocean air filled his nostrils and the innocent laughter and voices of children danced in his ears...

_"Come on Squall, catch me you peabrain!"_ _a young boy spoke challengingly._

_"Squall, it's time for dinner...Matron is waiting..." a protective, sisterly voice called to him._

_"My boy..you will always be loved..." a caring motherly voice assured him._

* * *

_**Squall opened his eyes. **_

_**He was standing outside atop a hilly embankment, staring over the tall grass just in front him, and looked down towards his feet, seeing a cornucopia of beautiful flowers littered around the area where he stood. In the distance, soft white clouds hung overhead, but not enough to block out the glorious rays of the sun, which shined on him brightly, warming his face and his soul. Just below, he could see children chasing each other and playing around, but they were too far away to see their faces. They screamed in youthful delight and their tones reflected a level of joy that he personally never remembered feeling. **_

_**"Squall?" the voice called out to him, and he turned. The voice was somewhat recognizable, as was the woman standing before him. She had shoulder length, dark brown hair and appeared to be in her mid to late twenties, and stood in a doorway to an old stone house he had never seen before. He took a step back, not sure what he was seeing.**_

_**"Where am I?" he asked, shocked when the voice that left his mouth since it sounded much lighter and younger than his now deepened tone. The woman smiled and walked in his direction, with a compassion and nurturing aura in her brown eyes that stopped him from backing away any more. **_

_**"What do you mean? You are home! You've been gone for so long...but you've finally come back to us..." she delicately spoke with a smile on her face, her eyes incredibly alluring to him. "What's wrong, you don't want to be here?" she inquired hurtfully, the sadness on her face breaking him apart inside.**_

_**"No...I'm just...confused," Squall spoke, putting a small hand up to his head, still trying to remember how he had gotten there or even where he was before that.**_

_**"Awww, poor boy...you seem lost," she grinned and laughed a bit, and while the laugh of soft and feminine, Squall heard what he recognized as a tinge of malice. "Let's go inside...a big handful of fresh blueberries will make you feel better!" she animatedly boasted, and he felt excited as she said it, even if he wasn't sure why. He watched as she extended a soft hand towards him, tempting him to take hold of it and let her guide him.**_

_**In his current foggy state, he unwittingly took her hand, and the bliss of motherly ecstasy erupted in his soul. He still wasn't sure where he was, but truly did feel at home at that moment. She guided him forward as they approached the door, with three stone steps that led inside the house. He glanced around, seeing nothing but bright skies and butterflies as he placed his foot of the first step.**_

_**"Follow me to an endless fantasy...one you will never want to leave..." the woman spoke to him. He felt a drop of water on his arm, and then on his neck...the once bright, blue sky was now pale white with overcast, sprinkling tiny specks of rain from above.**_

_**"...a world where every desire is fulfilled, and every wish is granted..." the feminine voice became much stronger and sterner. The sky rumbled and he looked up again, now seeing billowing black clouds swarming overhead, blocking out all the vibrant light that was there just seconds earlier. **_

_**He was frightened, but still felt safe with the woman he currently entrusted. He felt a small tug on his arm as he reached the third step.**_

_**"...COME NOW, AND CLAIM THE DESTINY WHICH IS TRULY YOURS...AND YOURS ALONE!" the once feminine tone now spoke with her voice fading in and out of some endless recess, echoing through the black sky. Squall looked back and could see tides of water a hundred feet high quickly approaching from the ocean in the distance. Squall looked down towards the beach where he had seen the children, and still saw them standing on the beach, staring at the massive wave and weeping. Something within him wanted to pull away from the woman's grasp to help them, but couldn't. **_

_**He looked up at the lady, who was now standing inside the doorway, waiting for him. Her once caring brown eyes now glowed diabolically golden, and he could almost see a pathway. A pathway to an existence in which he mattered...he was cared for...wanted...loved. A small step away from a life that deep down, he always wanted, but was too afraid to ask for. Just as he began to take that last step up into the doorway and to his new life, something caught his eye.**_

_**A single, white feather, falling from the sky. **_

_**It floated down softly, even through the heavy zephyrs and cascading sheets of wild rainfall, it fell effortlessly and uninterrupted by the elements, until finally landing gently on his small shoulder.**_

_**Just as this happened, it was as if reality began to creep its way back into his mind. Everything around him, the crying children, the black sky, the rain, the house...it was all an illusion. The only things that truly existed was him and the woman, and while the care she had for him FELT real, he knew that was nothing more than a intricate machination as well. A splendid apparition of a long forgotten life or divine dreams that lied dormant in within him, but were never truly meant to be. **_

_**He ripped his hand away from her grasp and tumbled down the steps and onto the now muddy ground below. She looked down at him, her golden orbs glowing brightly in the darkness.**_

_**"GET IN HERE, BOY!" she demanded, and he stood to his feet, staring up at her with a unwavering resolution in his youthful blue eyes. Suddenly he heard cries of pain flood the air, and looked towards the stone path that led down to the beach. Squall was mortified as he saw the fiery forms of children crawling and walking up the sidewalk. Their bodies burned grotesquely and they screamed for the agony to end.**_

_**"Squall..please help us!" a little girl who was on fire reached for him before falling to the ground and exploding into a pile of ashes. He backed up with tears in eyes, as the wind and rain pelted him harder and harder.**_

_**"Your friends and everyone you care about will suffer a similar fate if you do not follow me, young one," the woman spoke in terrorizing fashion.**_

_**But Squall knew better. Even if he gave in, many WOULD suffer that fate...innocent men, women and children who simply didn't want to live in fear. A fear the entire world would be engulfed in if she wasn't stopped.**_

_**He turned to her and again stared deep into her eyes as streaks of bolting lightning struck the ground all around him, leaving wild flames all around him. The water that fell from the clouds turned into a infernal storm of blood as the red plasma covered him in a matter of seconds, with puddles of it forming in every direction. Thunderous bellows of soul-filled screams blared from the sky, enough to make even the most sane person lose their mind.**_

_**But like everything else, Squall now knew it was nothing but an extreme fabrication, and would not fall for it again.**_

_**"ENOUGH!" he screamed loudly and bravely, peering into her eyes without a shred of fear.**_

* * *

Squall's eyes shot open, and he was back in the ball room, face to face with the true form of the woman from the fictitious mental utopia he just escaped from.

_He knew it_.

As much as he wanted to believe it, he wasn't shocked in the least to see the woman who stood before him. _She was a sorceress after all_. To her, it was just another hand-crafted mirage...a cheap parlor trick to fool them into thinking their plan had actually worked. Although he didn't see the point, considering how powerful she was. She probably could've blocked the bullet by simply lifting a finger.

_No...she was toying with them...probably at Seifer's behest. _

"Vile SeeD…" she spat with repugnance, and took a step towards Squall, who backed up, "Planted in a run-down, weed infested Garden!" Squall reached to his side to grab his weapon, forgetting that it wasnt there. He looked up, seeing it lying on the floor a few feet away. She would probably fry him if he made a move, so he just backed away more as he continued think of something he could do.

"Foolish boy. Did you really think a single bullet would be all it took?" she inquired, and the answer was simply: _No...no he did not_. Hell, he even wandered if Caraway truly believed it would work. Seemed like a desperate, half-assed attempt, but as a SeeD, he did what he was told...regardless of how poorly designed the plan was, his job was to execute it.

The sorceress stopped cold in the middle of the dance floor, holding her hands out to her side in front of Squall, "I stand before you now. Strike me down!" she challenged with an evil smile on her face.

Squall glanced to his blade again, but knew he likely never would've got close enough for a melee attack anyway. He slowly reached into his pocket and grabbed the handful of magic stone pieces he had on him, absorbing the energy, and felt as Quezacotl came back to life within his mind. At the very least, he needed his Guardian Force's assistance in this imminent battle with Edea, even though he had no idea how he was single handedly going to defeat a sorceress.

He was scanning her over, looking for any perceived weaknesses, but could find nothing. She appeared to be just an elegantly dressed woman, but the fact that he knew exactly what she was and what she was capable of is what told him that she likely wasn't vulnerable to much. He wasn't incredibly proficient with magic, his Guardian Force wasn't all that powerful, and most of all, he had absolutely no idea how to start attacking her, but felt there was no point in wasting time.

Squall stood still and held his left palm over his right palm, focusing icy magical energy into a blue sphere. His hands began to shake as the energized isotopes became almost too much for him to control with Quezecotl and pushed forward, sending a blast of chilling blue powers towards the sorceress. Simply by flinging her hand forward as if she was swatting away a pesky fly, the icy blast melted in mid air as the steam from its incinerated remains drifted around her.

Without hesitation, Squall unleashed a flurry of other magical attacks, consisting of fire, ice, thunder, poison, sleep, petrify and every other magical spell he had in his arsenal. None were incredibly potent, but anything that could slow her down would be helpful to his cause. After his onslaught of attacks, he watched as smoke and the vivacious glow of various spells faded, and there stood the sorceress once again, motionless, and completely unflawed as nothing he just did seemed to have any type of effect.

Before Squall could even begin to ponder another strategy, she lifted her right hand with her palm face up, and Squall felt his body ignore gravity as it was pulled into the air effortlessly and simply stayed there for a moment. As he turned in midair and locked onto the sorceress, he attempted to cast a quick fire spell in hopes that it could at least release him from his zero gravity captivity, but she spun her hand and Squall's body began to whirl around with incredible speed. The fire spell he attempted to cast struck the ceiling and a small fire erupted overhead atop the ballroom.

His body continued to be tossed and spun, and he couldn't see anything except a jumbled fusion of various colors and blurred visions that entered his sight whilst in the midair spin cycle. Haltingly, his body stopped, but his vision did not as the intense vertigo made him nauseous. Just as he once again spotted Edea, she swiped her hand down in a rapid motion, and Squall felt as his body slammed towards the floor and his back crashed against the hard ballroom dance floor.

Squall winced and gasped as the air was knocked out of his body, and felt some cracking and sharp pains in his vertebrae as he lied there, still trying to find his breath. He was suddenly able to inhale some much needed oxygen, but could feel there was some definite damage done to his back. Quezacotl protected him with what little magical energy the lightning guardian had left, but not enough to completely spare Squall's frame from the impact.

As Squall struggled to a knee, still finding difficulty taking breaths, he looked up and saw the sorceress approaching him.

"You insult me with your feeble powers. They tickle me..." she talked down to Squall as if he was an cockroach she was about to stomp on. Squall wasn't sure if he would survive another one of her attacks, but as she raised her hand and he felt his body lifting again, a loud blast rung within the room and reverberated off the walls.

Squall felt the grip on his body loosen and looked up, just as the sorceress turned around. Just inside the doorway on the far right of the room was a familiar cowboy in a long-sleeved black shirt and a black bandana, yielding what appeared to be a smoking shotgun. However, the blast did not appear to strike Edea as she just looked at Irvine for a moment, a bit perplexed.

Just as she raised her arm to counter, a creaking and cracking noise originated from the ceiling, which still had a slight blaze going. Squall and Edea looked up simultaneously, and almost on cue, the huge crystal and gold chandelier broke off from the roof and began to plummet down on top of the sorceress. Squall rolled away just as Edea rose her hand, but was too late as the lavish overhanging light crashed down on top of her, with a thunderous thud and shattering of glass and crystal, which scattered along the floor of the ball room.

The room fell silent for a few moments as Irvine stepped in closer, cocking his shotgun, "Did that tickle, bitch?" he questioned angrily and cockily to the sorceress, who he watched get pinned under the hulking chandelier. He crept over carefully, wanting to see what was left of her, and was prepared to blast her several more times. He slowed his pace as he neared the wreckage, and then slowly leaned down, pulling off the plastic tarp that had been covering the hanging lamp.

Surprisingly, he saw no trace of Edea. He pulled at the plastic and began sifting around the broken glass and gold frame, but everywhere he looked, all he found was scattered debris. He stood straight up, and rubbed the back of his neck in perplexity, knowing he watched it topple down on her.

As Squall was able to get to a foot, he watched as a swirling blackish and purple energy formed behind Irvine as he stood there, bewildered. The sorceress suddenly emerged from the portal, unbeknownst to the cowboy.

"Irvine!" Squall shouted and Irvine looked over, knowing something was wrong. He traced Squall's field of vision to directly behind him, and turned, seeing the sorceress big golden eyes locked on him.

Raising his gun to fire off another round, Irvine felt as his weapon was pulled from his hands and flung across the room. At the same moment, the sorceress extended her arm and curled her fingers, and Irvine felt as his throat was clasped tightly shut and his body was lifted into the air. He grabbed his neck, attempting to pry the invisible magical fingers from his throat, but to no avail as he continued to cough and choke as his windpipe began to crush under the increased force Edea began to apply. He kicked and flailed his legs, but it served no purpose other than to amuse the sorceress.

Even though there wasn't much he could do to stop her, Squall was not going to let Irvine die, at least not without attempting to aid him. Squall took a deep breath and sprung forward, despite the sharp pain streaking the length of his back. He pulled out his last knife from his lap strap as he closed in on the sorceress with enhanced speed, but ultimately again failed to reach her as she simply lifted him by the neck as well, strangling the life out of him in similar fashion.

Irvine and Squall dangled overhead, each feeling seconds closer to the end as the sorceress refused them of oxygen, and smiled in sadistic delight as they tried to writhe free of her control, but they likely knew it was all for not, just as she did.

_No one would stop her._

As Squall and Irvine were about the black out, probably for the last time, they felt as the tight grasps on their necks loosened and they fell to the hard wooden floor which was covered in glass and water. The asphyxiated duo coughed out and breathed in air heavily as they lied on the floor, still weakened from the attack, but both confused as to why she let go. Squall lifted his head and looked up as he wheezed, noticing a small burn in the arm of the sorceress bejeweled dark purple dress. Edea looked across the room, and Squall followed her eyes, and for the second time that night, was horrified to see Rinoa standing there...

_Rinoa...alone...against the sorceress. _

_It would not end well. _

Rinoa had apparently awoken just in time, and equipped a techno-magic bracelet with Fire Materia, and used it in an attempt to save her comrades. Squall mentally cussed her for being so stupid and short-sighted, despite how courageous it may have been. She was likely the only reason he was still alive, but deep down, wished she had made a run for it instead of merely temporarily postponing his execution, and likely ensuring her own.

The sorceress, appearing even more visibly upset now, brushed the enflamed embers away from her burnt dress and began a slow pace in Rinoa's direction. Rinoa again used the techno-magic weapon, but the sorceress merely lifted her arm and with a pink-hued energy field, blocked the jetting streams of fire with a single hand. As the fire ceased and the smoke cleared, the sorceress lowered her defense, but it seemed Rinoa had disappeared...at least from her immediate vision.

Off to the side, the sorceress heard what sounded like metal dragging along the wooden dance floor and turned. She again spotted Rinoa, who was now clumsily trying to yield Squall's heavy gunblade. She could barely lift it and was stumbling around, attempting to point it at the sorceress, who found it amusing...like a deer on a broken leg trying to scurry away from a coldblooded hunter.

_This was no different. _

"Meddlesome girl, you are a bug to me," the sorceress taunted as she laughed at Rinoa's feeble attempt to defend herself.

Squall glanced at Rinoa, who was trying her best to be brave, but even from his hunched state could see how scared she was. She wasn't crying, but she seemed to know that once again, she bit off more than she could chew as she backed away, still barely able to hold onto Squall's weapon. Rinoa momentarily diverted her attention away from her assailant and looked at Squall with lamenting eyes, almost as if they were saying goodbye to him.

Suddenly, Rinoa again shifted her view back to the sorceress, causing Squall to do the same. Edea was beginning to raise her hand high into the air, and he perceived what looked to be chilling blue streams of energy weaving and spiraling around her slender arm which was fully extended above her body. As the frosty magical light reached its pinnacle in Edea's fingers, three brightly illuminated blue spheres lit up above her hand. They took on no particular form for a moment, but Rinoa shuddered in morbid realization as she watched the spheres elongate and form into three, long, sharp icicles, which seemed to be solely intended for her.

"This is true power!" the sorceress spoke in a foreboding tone that signified Rinoa's death was nigh.

Rinoa again glanced to Squall, this time with tears flowing down her face. Squall had looked into the eyes of men who were prepared to die and ready to face their ultimate fate. Rinoa's were exactly the opposite..._they were bright, vibrant and full of life...a life he could see she desperately wanted to continue_. The passion, courage and care she had was unlike anything he had ever seen. Her actions today spoke loudly to how far she was willing to go to help others and protect those she cared about. Despite the paramount fear, she continued to march on, and fight...right by their side.

_Despite what she thought, she was indeed brave...maybe braver than any of them._

Rinoa pulled her eyes away and closed them, praying to Hyne and asking for forgiveness of her sins, and silently saying goodbye to the world she so desperately wanted to make a difference in.

Squall watched as the sorceress' arm began to move forward. He felt powerless. He could barely move, and he knew nothing was going to stop what the sorceress was intent on doing. He watched her hand flick forward, and the ice began to dart through the air, with an unprotected Rinoa standing directly within the path of their trajectory.

Something supernatural inside Squall awoke, and it wasn't Quezacotl. His chest and eyes painfully burned, but that twinge eventually mutated into raw energy within his body. It felt like a super charged limit as a surge of power flowed through him, but from where, _he had no clue_. He looked up with a yellowish tint in his eyes, seeing the icy shards in mid route.

Squall bolted forward..._every smile_ he could remember made him run faster..._every touch_ he could remember made him dig deeper..._every word_ made him look inward. That's what was fueling him..._an emotion_...a single emotion that he didn't recognize, but refused to let die, no matter what the cost. This emotion was worth fighting for, even if he didn't know exactly what it was, and even if it would be short lived..

_It was special. _

_It was pure._

_It was __**HIS**__._

He closed in on Rinoa momentarily, seeing that her eyes were squeezed tightly as she waited for the chill of death to end her life. The spikes were merely a few feet away from spelling her doom, and the single tear he watched roll down the side of her face gave him the last energized boost he needed.

He sprung forward with his left arm extended, shoving Rinoa out of the path of the frozen projectiles. Squall looked up to see the arctic shards inches away. With his right hand, he was able to guide one of them off aim, and it sailed by him and hit the wall, shattering on impact. The second shard was inches away from his head, and he reached his left arm up and melted the advancing icicle with a well used fire spell.

Unfortunately, Squall didn't have a third arm.

He noticed the third ice missile, but by the time he could react to it was too late. He lifted his hand, and felt as the frozen substance glided slickly along his fingertips, a split-second before a numbing and tingling pressure tore through his upper left pectoral, just below the interior deltoid, and felt as the sharp end that pierced him then protruded from his upper back. The force of the airborne strike picked him up and carried him five feet backwards until he slammed into the white partition with gold trim.

An undisturbed silence hung within the large stateroom, as the sorceress' gloved hand descended slowly to her side, and she stared heartlessly at her victim on the other end of the room, admiring her handiwork.

Rinoa languidly picked herself up the soggy carpet, unaware of what just happened. She was so deep in prayer and reflection of her life, in what she assumed were her final moments, that she completely tuned out of reality and had no idea how she survived or why she was on the ground. At the other end of the room, the sorceress stood, her eyes centered in front of her, staring across the room.

Rinoa quickly turned to see what the sorceress was focused on, and her eyes were stung with a vision that made her blood run cold. Deep within her, she could feel as if she lost something, or was in the process of losing it. Vivid flashbacks played and rewound in her mind..._standing feet away from the grave...taking a handful of the earth and dropping it on the coffin in the cold, hard ground...__**Here lies Julia Antonett Caraway...beloved mother and wife**__...too young to understand death, but old enough to realize what she lost._

_The pain never leaves. _

_It just gets buried and forgotten like the person you mourn, until someone with a shovel comes along to unearth it._

_In this case, the sorceress was doing the digging._

Outwardly, though, Rinoa was statue; suspended in a momentary state of disbelief. The rhythmic pulse of a heartbeat was all she could hear at the moment..._a beat that was fading with each grain of sand that passed through the hourglass_. Her breath got lodged in her chest and she huffed several times trying to release it. Her legs became wobbly as she tried to press on. Rinoa stopped, and watched as he reached towards his chest where the projectile was embedded, running his bare fingers along the open wound and the bloodied ice. Lifting his hand, he studied the dark blood momentarily, as if he were mesmerized by it.

Then, with his now blood-covered hand still held up, he turned his vision to her...his unexpectedly tranquil blue eyes locking onto mortified brown ones. She couldn't move, or speak, or cry, or do anything really...only watch as his hand dropped flimsily to his side, and the soulful gaze in his eyes emptied like water spiraling down a drainpipe. His now limp body glided down the wall he was pressed back against, leaving a blotchy trail of crimson as he did.

Rinoa managed to falter in Squall's direction and fell to her knees as he lied against the wall, gasping and coughing up blood. Her eyes gaped and she raised her hands as if to touch him, but continuously hesitated and fumbled around, unsure of what she was even doing. Finally, she rested both of her hands on the wound, feeling the coldness radiate from his chest and the long shard of ice that was meant for her.

"Squ..." she attempted to speak, but pretty much all that came out was solemn air. Blood was pooling out of him, and she kneeled in a puddle of it, unable to react with any particular human reaction. Detached from the current reality, she desperately tried to awaken from what she hoped was nothing more than a violent phantasm.

An immense shadow consumed her and Squall, and Rinoa looked back, seeing the sorceress just a few feet away and strolling slowly in their direction. Rinoa's dispassionate gaze locked onto Edea, still unable to manifest any palpable feelings within her. _Angst, despair, rage, grief_...they flooded every inch of her being, and yet she was completely desensitized to them at the moment.

The sorceress cocked her head, noticing Squall's undoubtedly fatal injury and Rinoa's stony eyes, "His death shall suffice for now," she spoke, the words sounding hollow and meaningless. The sorceress slowly raised her arms, as flames erupted along the ceiling and walls around the ballroom. Even then, Rinoa didn't react as intense heat and smoke overcame the room.

"His blood is on your hands, child," Edea scorned Rinoa, blaming her for Squall's condition, just before her and Seifer disappeared from the room in purple streaks of energy.

Rinoa glanced around the room as the crackles of fire and wafts of smoke surrounded her. Looking backwards, she watched Irvine push himself to his feet and jog towards them whilst clutching his sore throat. Once within view of them, he too stopped cold in his tracks after seeing the mass of ice speared into Squall's upper chest.

Upon noticing Irvine's grim reaction, she looked down at Squall, seeing that he was still alive, but coughing and shivering, even with the flames starting to close in. She looked at her hands, which were completely coated in his blood, and her eyes widened. Edea's words replayed over and over in her head, because while the sorceress pulled the trigger, the bullet itself was meant for Rinoa.

But it was Squall who was lying there, bleeding out and drifting away..._not her_.

And then suddenly, the verity of the situation began to sink in. _This wasn't a nightmare_, at least not one she could wake up from. She brushed the wet tendrils of hair away from Squall's face, and her eyes flooded with tears, when she finally had to admit that he was beyond saving.

_Their relationship began in a ballroom, and now, it seemed destined to end in one._

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Foxhound Underground Base**

**2222 hrs**

"Kinneas...REPORT!" the General shouted loudly for the seventh straight time. Irvine hadn't responded to him in nearly ten minutes, and Caraway was beginning to lose what little nerve he had left, if any.

"Is my daughter with you...is she safe!?" he repeatedly demanded an answer. As he stood by Selphie's station, breathing heavily, the familiar voice with the southern drawl responded.

"Yeah," he replied half-heartedly, at least as much as he could within a one word reply.

"Get her out of there RIGHT FUCKING NOW!" the general ordered. After a brief pause, Irvine came back on the line.

"General, " he began in a low voice, "Its Squall..." Irvine muttered, and while the general seemed totally disinterested in Squall's current condition, Quistis became unsettled by his exigent tone.

"What about Squall?" Quistis nudged in to the general disdain, bracing herself for whatever Irvine was about to say next.

"He's hurt..." the reply came rather unenergetically, and the sound of his voice technically foreshadowed how dire the injury was, "It's bad...real bad," Irvine informed them, and Quistis stood straight up and closed her eyes, breathing heavily in and out as Selphie laid a comforting arm on her forearm.

"Leave him," the general remarked, causing pretty much everyone in the room to look in his direction. Quistis, whose heart was currently weighed down by fear and grief, was overcome with bitter indignation in regards to the callous and selfish order he gave, "Get Rinoa to safety, now!"

On the other end, Irvine didn't seem to care for that response either, "He's a dead man if we just leave him..." Irvine notified Caraway in desperation, who began to reply before Quistis Trepe's dejectedly vexed voice filled his ear.

"You can't just leave him there, General!" Qustis contended, and the general threw a finger in her face.

"SHUT UP TREPE! I'M IN CHARGE HERE!" he bitterly snapped and Quistis stepped backwards, unsure of how he could be so uncaring to someone who likely just saved his daughter, "I hold your life in my hands Kinneas. You get her out of there, or you WILL regret it!" he bullied Irvine with yet another warning. Even if his daughter's life was on the line, it was despicable the way he wanted to leave Squall behind without so much as a second thought.

Quistis had enough. Even if she was working under Caraway at the moment, in the end, he wasn't her boss. She didn't answer to him and never would again. As far as she was concerned, their working relationship was over.

"No Irvine, do not..." Qustis started to instruct Irvine, but before she could, the general reached towards the touch screen and cut communication with Irvine's frequency. Quistis straightened to her full upright standing position, which still wasn't that tall or imposing, but she exuded a sort of inherent authority in doing so. Her eyes were flaring with concern for her fallen student and friend, but quickly transitioned into unadulterated outrage towards Caraway.

"You can go straight to hell as far as I'm concerned '_general_'," Quistis spat at him, getting into his face, "We are getting Squall out of there whether you like it or not!" She made her way back to Selphie who was trying to reconnect the line, but before they could, Caraway made an boorish snap decision.

"Take the SeeD's into custody!" he commanded with authority to two of the armed MP's in room. Quistis heard the impulsive injunction, and then looked at the soldiers, who were just as astounded as she was.

"WHAT?" Qustis roared at Caraway, who stared down at her with lackadaisical eyes, and then back to his men to carry out the order.

"General..." one of the MP's began in a questioning tone as he stepped forward, reluctant to oblige, which didn't sit well with Caraway.

"THATS A FUCKING ORDER!" he shouted into the soldiers face, who in turn stepped towards Quistis, as did the other MP.

Quistis backed away from the soldiers and Selphie rose to her feet next to her blonde colleague. The MP's reached towards their tasers in case the SeeD's became unruly. For a moment, Quistis considered resisting, if only so she could get one good shot at the yellow-bellied-son-of-a-bitch before her. The thought of losing Squall was devastating, but at the moment, those feelings gave way to the paramount animosity she currently had for the general.

Still, as usual with the blonde SeeD, cooler heads prevailed, even though her head was anything but cool at the moment. But she knew resisting would only make matters worse for both her and Selphie, and ultimately the rest of her team. Qustis stepped forward and held out her hands, much to the surprise of Selphie, the MP's and even the general.

As the soldiers restrained the two female SeeD's with handcuffs, Quistis glared directly at the general, her intense eyes boring an abyss into his, "This isn't over. Believe me, general," she spoke with hostility in her voice, and then put her head down as she and Selphie were lead out of the war room.

Squall's fate was out of their hands.

* * *

**Tuesday, May 9th 4268/Deling City - Presidential Palace**

**2223 hrs**

Irvine tapped on the earpiece, believing the signal was interrupted. The last thing Irvine heard on the other end was Quistis' voice, which was likely going to be a plea for him not to leave Squall behind, despite the general's direct order. Glancing over to his fallen colleague, he could see the river of red leaving his body and creeping along the floor through the thick smoke that was filling the room. Wood began to splinter and creak as the inferno continued to spread, and Irvine knew they didn't have much time.

"God damn it!" Irvine cussed at himself, realizing what he had to do. Squall's chances of survival even if they managed to get him out were slim to none, and their chances of getting out while carrying Squall were even worse. Factoring in Caraway's threat to make his life a living hell, Irvine no other options.

"Rinoa," Irvine called out as he walked over to the distraught young lady, "We have to go!" he insisted and tugged her to her feet, but she pulled away.

"No!" she cried and immediately knelt back beside Squall, who was barely breathing, "No I won't leave him!" she panted and heaved while drowning in her own tears. Suddenly the other chandelier that still hung over the dance floor melted from its base atop the ceiling and slammed down onto the wooden floor beneath it, as crystal particles, glass shards and fire embers rained around the room.

Irvine covered his face as it happened, but Rinoa didn't react whatsoever to the scorching and crumbing environment around her. At the moment, she only seemed focused on one thing.

"Rinoa, this place is gonna crash down around us!" Irvine shouted as the fire was closing in on their location.

"I don't care," she answered, this time more softly, almost as if she was choosing to stay there and die with him. She looked back at Irvine, "I'm staying," the beautiful girl replied with a cough. Irvine became worried and was on the brink of having to force her, which he didn't want to do.

Fortunately, a friend was able to help him out one last time...

"Ri..." the fatally injured young man breathed out, "Rino-a," he coughed, feeling himself starting to slip away.

Rinoa looked back with a slight smile masking her otherwise devastated face, "Squall!" she exclaimed through tears. Unexpectedly, Squall weakly reached up and grabbed her blood soaked hand, squeezing it tightly. She looked at their hands which were now clasped together, and then into his eyes, which at the moment were staring back into hers. Despite being on the verge of death, his eyes conveyed the typical lion-like resolve and fortitude they always had. Strength he still had left, that he was trying to pass along to her through his shining cerulean eyes.

The tears stopped, even if only for a few seconds, as Rinoa felt something passing through her. Something truly remarkable. This is why she found him so special, even from the first time she met him on the dance floor back in Balamb. Something about his eyes drew her in. Despite how he pushed her away the entire time, his eyes betrayed him, but not in a bad way.

_Her mother was right; eyes are the windows into one's soul. _

_What she saw in Squall's were mesmerizing...an entire majestic world just waiting to be discovered._

_But alas, that world was fading away, about to be lost forever. _

"You have to go.." Squall breathed out lowly as he felt his consciousness and ultimately his life drifting into nothingness.

"No..." she began bawling again, unwilling to comply with his dying request, "No, I won't!"

Squall closed his eyes and began to faintly whisper. Rinoa, through gasps of tears and coughs from the smoke, leaned in closer to hear what he was saying. Squall softly whispered _six words_ into her ear. _Six words_ that were enough to break her heart, even though she didn't know exactly what he meant. Before she could ask him, she felt an intense fatigue run through her entire body and her mind went blank, and her head fell onto Squall's chest, just below the frozen projectile.

Squall looked down at the now unconscious princess. He used the last bit of magic energy he had to put her to sleep, and make Irvine's job easier. She looked so peaceful at that moment, even with several beads of tears still clinging to her face. He leaned in one last time, taking a final deep breath of the apple-scented shampoo that teased her hair. Even through the heavy smoke, the scent was still strong on her. That momentary euphoria from the SeeD ball had returned, and he was struck with one _final_ memory of her...which happened to also be his _first_ memory of her...

_"You're going to like me...you're going to like me...did it work?" _

_Yeah Rinoa...it worked._

"Irvine" Squall coughed out with the little energy he had left as the western Galbadian cowboy leaned next to him, "Take...her," he was barely able to breathe out as he let his head fall back and land on the wall behind him, looking at Irvine as he scooped Rinoa's limp body off of him and threw her over his shoulder. Irvine took a deep breath and looked into Squall's flickering eyes.

"Im sorry, buddy.." he whispered regretfully as if he let him down, and in a flash, disappeared from the room with Rinoa.

Squall hacked as the smoke continued to enter his lungs, and he could still taste the coppery flavor of blood in his mouth. He watched through fluttering eyelids as the room began to cave in around him. Beams tumbled down onto the dance floor in a fiery blizzard of smoldering wood and ash, feeling the blast of the scolding fire approaching him. He began thinking of his life at Garden, and everyone he knew over the years. Everyone he pushed away because he was afraid of losing them...not just to spare himself the pain, but to spare anyone else the pain of losing him. This is exactly why he did it, and in that regard, he didn't regret it.

In every other way, however...he did.

_...__**Squall**__ 'was' this...__**Squall**__ 'was' that..._

_...I'll be a mere memory...a past tense..._

With his very last bit of strength, Squall faintly laughed out loud at the irony.

And with that, everything went black.

_Life faded. _

_Darkness prevailed. _

_Death, had come._

* * *

_._

_._

_._

**LETS DANCE!**

This is big for me...and a long time in the making.

I worked really hard on this last chapter. A bit concerned that some wont like the changes, but they were changes I felt were necessary for my world. I still stay true to the major plotpoints (except the Sorceress Assassination part...but in the end, she still lives on...

Ill be posting a reflections chapter soon that will do shout outs, explain my thought process during part one, give an inside look at MY Final Fantasy 8 universe, and discuss the future of this novel.

Thank you so much to all my faithful readers...and I hope you werent let down.

_**CJ...aka Prodigy**_


	31. Dreamworld: Rebirth

**Dreamworld: Rebirth**

He awoke to the melodic chirping of early morning birds, the quacking of an army of hungry ducks and gentle sways of swishing water, all blended together in a peaceful and harmonic intonation.

Despite not knowing where he was and not being able to see anything at the moment, there was only one thing he found to be shocking..._the fact that he awoke at all_.

He hadn't heard a single sound in, well...he had no idea. The last thing he remembered was drifting into darkness with a sharp popsicle lodged in his chest, feeling numbingly cold despite the blanket of flames that were closing in on him. He made peace with his mortality and accepted the end. _There was no other conclusion_. Even with his guardian force and magical abilities, his fate was in Hyne's hands, even if he didn't particularly buy into any particular religious beliefs or afterlife mumbo-jumbo.

As the moments passed, even more of his senses began to return. He could feel the rays of the sun warming his body, despite the chill that hung in the air. He could feel his head resting back against something hard, and based on the bumpy roughness pressing against his skull and the sound of fluttering branches and leaves above him, assumed it was the bark of a tree. Hard roots and uneven ground were beneath him, and he could feel his body stretching…even though he made no conscious effort to do so.

The man's eyes drifted open, but they weren't _HIS_ eyes….at least not his 'real' eyes. As the fog cleared from his vision, they scanned the landscape ahead. There really wasn't a lot to see from the seated position under the giant willow tree, but what he could see was picturesque. It appeared to be early autumn, with the changing of season becoming evidenced in the tall, browning grass and orange leaves, but the changing and fading colors added to its magnificence. Rolling pastures extended as far as the eye could see, with some small houses and animals in the distance, as well as a strip of mountain covered in trees and other greenish-brown plant life.

His last memory was being skewered by a giant icicle and was about to be cremated by the raging inferno within the palace of _former_ Galbadian dictator Vinzer Deling. Now…he had no idea. It sure the hell wasn't Deling City, and he wasn't even sure if it was Galbadia. It was somewhat reminiscent of Balamb, but with more country flare. _Was this Eden; the heavenly paradise foretold by Hyne?_ No…he wouldn't believe that unless Hyne himself walked to him with two valid forms of identification, and even then he would be skeptical.

Squall wasn't sure where he was, but he was positive he wasn't in his world anymore. He had felt this feeling before…twice actually. He had no idea what it was, just that he some inhabited the body of some Galbadian solider named Laguna, who last he remembered was as close to death as he was in the palace.

Suddenly, his eyes were redirected downward and there was a book in front of him. More like a notebook with a fading brown leather cover, which his hands proceeded to open and leaf through the pages. He couldn't make out much as 'his' fingers flipped through the notebook, only singular words in chicken scratch and a few crayoned doodles, which looked like they were drawn by a little kid. Suddenly, he came to a stop on a blank page, and watched his hand began to write...

_**"October 18th, 4247..."  
**_

_4247? I wasn't even born yet…_

_**"I snuck out early again this morning to do my rounds and watch the sunset, but fell asleep while waiting. Even with the recent fiend infestation, this is probably one of the few peaceful places left on this continent...maybe even on this entire planet. The situation between Esthar and Galbadia is only getting worse. Vinzer Deling continues to destroy Galbadia, a place that used to be looked at as a beacon of hope and freedom. Now, it is a cesspool of corruption and political scandal. Esthar has enlisted the aid of some sorceress, but even after two years we still don't know where that's going to lead. All I know is it better not lead here...to Winhill. Although, sadly, it may only be a matter of time. But I will die protecting it if I must. This is my home..."**_

_A sorceress? Does he mean Adel? Has to be… _

_**"As for me, I guess I'm pretty much the same. Nothing really changes around these parts. A few years ago, I'd go nuts in a leafy little hamlet like this, but now...well, I'm getting older. I still yearn for excitement, but not on the frontlines. Come to think of it, I never really liked that type of excitement. I did it to defend Galbadia, but now, I wonder what it was all for. Was it all a waste? The life I knew...the life I spent years building is gone, and while I consider myself lucky to be alive, I honestly don't even know who I am anymore..." **_

_Tell me about it…_

_**"I've considered leaving. Not because I don't like this place, but because I don't feel very welcomed. The townspeople still treat me like the plague, and Raine...well, she tries to be nice, but I can see it in her eyes. Someone once taught me that eyes don't lie, and they were right. On the other hand, I owe Raine my life. Without her, I'm likely not writing these words right now. She is my guardian angel...but now, I feel more like a fly she is trying to swat away. I wish it didn't have to be that way. She's an awesome person, but I guess she still holds a grudge, even if she won't openly admit it. And hell...I can't even blame her…"**_

_This sound familiar…._

_**"The only one here that I truly feel welcomed by is Elle. No matter how mistreated I feel at times, seeing that bright, smiling face every day just makes me feel like I have some type of love in my life. Like her, I lost my parents at a very early age, and was bounced around from foster home to foster home. I'm just happy Elle has someone as caring as Raine to look after her. And I'm glad I'm here with her too. I'll probably never have a kid. I love kids, but not really marriage material, you know? She is the closest thing I'll likely ever have to one, though. I really like Elle...no….I really LOVE Elle...I would die for her. Raine too, even if she doesnt realize it..."**_

_Whatever…_

_**"In closing, I'm still not sure what I'm going to do. I've considered going to Timber and applying for a job at one of the magazine publications...most notably the TimberManiacs. If I could get a job with them and tell of my adventures, that would be a dream. But for now, I have to put my dreams on hold. Until I see that I am no longer needed here...with Raine, Elle or even the people of this village that don't seem to care for me. I owe them a debt as well, so until I feel I've repaid that debt...whenever that may be...Winhill will remain my home, and I won't complain…**_

_**Until tomorrow...Laguna Loire..." **_

If it wasn't evident enough already, the signature only confirmed what he already suspected...he was indeed in Laguna's body, again. _But what did this mean? Was he dead in the real world? Was this a past life? What was the connection between Laguna and him? _ He didn't know, and was pretty much powerless in making any effort to find out, so all he could to is wait and see what happened.

Laguna stood up, watching as the branches around him swayed in the early morning breeze, and the sun continued to rise over the mountain. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting the peace that surrounded him engulf his mind and senses, because those moments were few and far between, and he needed them every once in awhile to maintain his sanity. After a few deep breaths, he turned back towards the trunk of the tree, seeing his G-8 Avenger assault rifle leaning against it and picked it up. His gun was one of the last remaining remnants of his former life as a solider, and even though he had no desire to be a soldier anymore, he cherished that he still had something to remind him of what he once was. That, along with army issued dog tags, a tattoo on his left bicep that Ward coaxed him into getting when he was piss-ass drunk, and a scar on the back of his head, which was now hidden by his now shoulder length black hair was all head had left from his former life as _"Lieutenant Laguna Loire". _ Beyond that, all he had was newspaper clippings pronouncing him as being a hero that was killed in action. However, all that did was remind him that he had nothing to go back to.

Not even…_her_…

Laguna shrugged off the old feelings from the past that were starting to creep up on him, because that's exactly what they were; OLD, and they needed to stay in the PAST. He began walking down the hilly embankment and stumbled as he reached a dirt and rock laden path that ran along the length of a large crick, which at the moment was cluttered with ducks and frog pads. The landscape of this small southern Galbadian town called Winhill was faded and crafted by the hands of time. Looking over the valley ahead, the hills rolled into each other, and the cloudless skies of azure blue blended into the land. The river in the distance snaked through the tundra, with the early morning sun gleaming off of it. The countryside was always so peaceful and calming, which was a big reason he didn't mind hiking around the town and helping out wherever needed.

As he made his way along the seemingly never-ending trail through the shaggy hedged muddy country lanes, he passed several townsfolk that barely acknowledged him, and at times, flat out snubbed him. However, he was now used to it, and despite how mistreated he felt, he always walked around with a smile, even if that wasn't how he felt on the inside.

After an hour long, six mile hike, he passed over a small wooden bridge which was in desperate need of renovation, then followed a trickling stream along a crunchy gravel path and proceeded to cross series of miniature wooden bridges that hopped over the stream. Finally, he made it back to the central part of town, where most of the businesses were located, which really only consisted of a few markets, restaurants, medical offices and repair places. Most of the goods in town were produced in Winhill, with only a few necessities coming from outside retailers. However, Winhill did sell a lot of their goods to outside sources, such as milk, fruit and various other products. After all, it was the main source of revenue for the secluded town of less than five hundred people.

After crossing a twenty-foot long, wooden drawbridge over a slightly larger body of water, he finally arrived back in the central square, which was the most beautiful part of the main town. The ground of the central square consisted of broken plates of grey masonry rock, with a large white symbol dedicated to Hyne. A fairly sizeable and elegant brick chapel was straight ahead, which was used for religious services, weddings and funerals. On both sides, there were several small, two-storied shops that doubled as residences, a steakhouse, and finally, _**Raine's Tavern**_, which was his final destination. Flowers of assorted varieties and colors could be seen everywhere; along the shops, lining the windows and grounds, and decorated various other parts of the town square. It was a beautiful sight, but wreaked havoc on Laguna's allergies.

After checking the empty mailbox, he entered the bar, and locked the door behind him, since it wouldn't be open until around lunchtime. The interior of the bar was actually quite stylish, despite how timeworn parts of it were, but that's actually what added to its charm. Laguna had repainted and polished most of the wood, installed booths, and made several upgrades to the main bar area.

"Hey," a voice Laguna immediately recognized called out. Turning his head, he watched as the petite, brunette woman named Raine walked down the stairs in the back of the bar. She was wearing a black button-down shirt with rolled up sleeves, dark blue jeans, and had a small dishtowel flung over her left shoulder. Her usually shoulder length brown hair was tied up into a bun, which is how she usually wore her hair during work hours.

_She looks familiar…REALLY familiar…_

"Morning!" Laguna replied with a smile as she strolled up to him. Raine returned the smile, and it warmed his heart. She was actually quite stunning and had beautiful blue eyes, but Laguna had a way of trying her patience and upsetting her, even when he made a conscious effort not to do so. Still, he enjoyed seeing her happy.

"You left early..." she noted, almost questioningly.

Laguna shrugged and nodded, "Yeah, you know how it is...just wanted to get a jump on things," he finished with a smirk.

Raine's eyes widened a bit and she turned around, "That's a first. You usually don't wake up until you smell breakfast," the brunette poked at Laguna as she began to wipe down tables.

"Yeah, yeah..." he brushed her off. Often times, he had trouble discerning whether her comments were tongue-in-cheek or not, but he never took anything she said too seriously.

"Uncle Laguna!" Another younger voice rang out, which immediately brought a smile to his face. Again he looked to the steps, seeing as a little girl, no older than three years, made her way down the staircase one step at a time. She was wearing a light blue dress with a white color, and was holding a small toy baby doll. Upon reaching the bottom, she did a cute little sprint towards Laguna. He crouched over with arms wide open and waited until she got to him, picked her up and swung her around. He gave her a big kiss on the cheek and she giggled, which put an even bigger smile on Laguna's face.

"Hey there sleepyhead!" he said to her in a playful voice.

"Did yoo ketch aaany mawnshters!? " she asked him with hopeful eyes.

"Sure did, kiddo!"

"What didjuu doo wiff it?"

"I put it in a giant pot, cooked it, and ate it!" he joked, tickling her tummy a bit.

"Did yoo shaave me enny?" she questioned excitedly.

"No, it was too yummy and I ate it all myself!"

"Yer a biggy-piggy-wiggy Uncle Laguna!" Ellone told him, which drew the attention for Raine from across the bar.

"Elle, that's enough!" Raine scolded sternly, which saddened Elle a bit.

"Am I in twouble?" the little girl questioned with a pouty face.

"I tink we're bofe in twouble," he whispered to her, mimicking her childlike diction, but Raine still heard and was doubly upset now.

"Laguna!" she scolded even louder. As Raine approached him, he slowly put Elle down. They smiled at each other and Ellone ran off, just as Raine came up, "How many times do I have to tell you not to talk to her like that!? She already gets enough bad habits off of you," she reprimanded him.

"Sorry, Raine," he remorsefully apologized while rubbing the back of his neck. As she gave him a rather hardhearted look, there was a soft knock door. Laguna looked back at the door quickly and then back to Raine, who shrugged at him, confused as to why he didn't answer it.

"Can you manage to get the door without tripping over your own feet?" she questioned in a demeaning manner and rolled her eyes. Laguna nodded, a bit insulted and worried he had put Raine in a bad mood. He turned and walked towards the door, unlocked it and creaked the door open slowly. A few feet away from the door stood a dark skinned man with his back turned towards Laguna. From what he could see, the man had cornrows with several long strands than hung from the back of his head. He was also wearing a dark red cloak, which concealed the rest of his form.

"Morning...something I can do for ya?" Laguna asked politely, even though he was a bit suspicious of the out of place character. The figure barely moved, but his head lifted and turned a bit upon hearing the voice, so Laguna knew the man heard him. After a few moments of silence, Laguna grazed the handle of his combat blade attached to his belt, a bit worried this may have been someone looking to disrupt the peaceful milieu Winhill strived to maintain.

"Hey bub...do you want something or are you just going to stand there?" Laguna questioned, this time with a challenging force in his tone. He heard a low breathy laugh just before the man replied.

"I'm hurt, Laguna," the voice responded; Laguna's eyes widening upon hearing it. The man turned slowly, revealing a familiar smiling face, which was the last face he was expecting to see, but probably the most welcomed, "I thought you'd greet an old friend with better hospitality."

"Kiros..." Laguna managed to get out, as he looked his friend up and down, hoping his eyes were not deceiving him. His long time army buddy looked different, but not unrecognizable. He had longer hair and looked a bit older, but hell, the same exact thing could be said about Laguna.

After finally convincing himself that what he was seeing was real, Laguna's face lit up with delight and let out an echoing laugh that caused everyone in the central square to look in his direction. He shot at Kiros and gave him a big hug, and Kiros returned the gesture, patting his friend on the back.

"I can't believe this! How the heck did you find me?" Laguna asked, the obvious glee still in his voice.

"Wasn't easy, but I'm here now..." Kiros answered with a grin, as he also continued to measure his friend up. He reached over, and put a few strands of Laguna's now long black hair in between his fingers and snickered, "Nice hair...you look like you just walked of a porn set," Kiros cracked, which made Laguna laugh out loud.

"You're one to talk with your sissy-ass braided hair!" he volleyed the playful offense, noting that Kiros hair had changed as well.

"It's part of my tribes culture, what's your excuse?" Kiros defended, and they both smiled until Laguna waved him into the bar.

"Come on in!" he welcomed Kiros, who walked inside and looked around as Laguna again patted him on the back, "Wanna beer?" Laguna asked as he sauntered up next to Kiros, who narrowed his brow.

"At 10:30 in the morning?" he asked Laguna, who merely shrugged.

"Never stopped us before," he noted with a smirk.

"Things change, my friend..." Kiros added. Laguna knew that fact all too well, but standing there with Kiros brought back a flood of old feelings and memories. In the midst of his recollection, Laguna noticed his _**current**_ employer walking up to them with a bewildered look in her eyes, and he turned to her.

"Oh Raine!" he excitedly acknowledged, making her take a step back, "Raine...this is a good friend of mine from when I was in the Galbadian Army, Sergeant Kiros Seagill..." he held out an open arm towards Kiros as he introduced them.

"Ahhh...it's just Kiros now...and its nice to meet you, ma'am, Kiros smiled and extended a hand.

"And I hate 'ma'am'...so just call me Raine," she replied snappily, but respectfully, and returned the handshake. As the greeting ended, something seemed to pop into Raine's memory, "Wait...Kiros?" she questioned with squinted eyes.

"Problem?" Kiros asked as his eyes widened a bit. Raine grinned and shook her head as she elaborated.

"Laguna talked about you a lot once his memory started coming back. _'Kiros this' _and_ 'Kiros that'...'we used to get shitfaced and put bouillon cubes in the general's shower head..." _Raine explained, quoting Laguna and doing a mocking impression of him. They both laughed as the old memories kept coming back.

"We had some times, that's for sure..." Kiros reminisced, before something next to him caught his attention. Or more appropriately, _someone_.

"Oh…" Laguna saw what his friend saw and picked her up in his arms, "Kiros, I'd like to introduce you to Ellone. Ellone, this is an old friend of Uncle Laguna's, Mr. Kiros," he introduced them, but Ellone seemed a bit bashful and buried her face in Laguna's chest.

"Hey there cutie," Kiros kindly complimented her. Ellone peaked over and looked the oddly dressed man up and down before replying.

"You dresh funny mishter," she told Kiros, who laughed along with Laguna. However, Raine didn't see the humor.

"Elle, you apologize this instant!" she demanded, but Kiros held up a hand, calming Raine.

"Oh no, it's quite alright. I guess I do look out of place," Kiros admitted, and then looked down at his clothing, "I'm from a place called Burmecia, where clothing like this is custom," he told Raine and Ellone, before unhooking a small, beaded necklace he had around his neck, and extended it towards Ellone, "Here, this is a necklace my grandfather gave me when I was about your age. Whoever wears this is protected from cursed spirits. It should protect you the same way it protected me," he explained. Ellone slowly extended her small hand and grabbed it, and a big smile came to her face as she touched it.

"That's not necessary," Raine told Kiros.

"It's quite alright. He told me I should give it to someone special. Besides, I've kind of outgrown it," he assured her and then looked back to Ellone, who was staring down at her present that the nice man gave her.

"What do you say Elle?" Raine asked with widened eyes. Ellone looked at Raine, and after realizing what she meant, looked at Kiros.

"Thank you Mishter Kirosh!" she expressed her gratitude, and he bowed his head.

"Ellone, why don't you go upstairs and play with the dollhouse Uncle Laguna built for you?" Raine told her, which was Laguna's cue to put her down.

"Okay!" she replied, excited by that idea, "Bye Uncle Laguna, bye Mishter Kirosh!" she waved in an adorable manner and ran towards the stairs.

As Ellone started up the steps, Raine turned back to Kiros and Laguna, "I'll let you two boys catch up," she told them, and smiled, and Kiros waved as she walked off.

"So...what's it been…like two years?" Laguna asked as they walked to one of the booths along the wall and sat down. Kiros furrowed his brow, trying to remember.

"One year, ten months and sixteen days," he replied with an exact estimate, which made Laguna chuckle at Kiros' seemingly photographic memory.

"I don't even remember what happened," Laguna told Kiros, although it wasn't completely true. He remembered bits and pieces, including the Centra excavation site and the hostile Esthar soldiers, but most of his other memories were fuzzy at best.

"Nothing?" Kiros asked when he noticed his friend was deep in thought.

Laguna shrugged, "Only fighting those damn Esthar robots."

"Cybernetic humanoids to be exact..." Kiros corrected him, as he always did, and Laguna changed the topic a bit.

"So, what have you been up to?" Laguna inquired, still clearly giddy his friend was in his company.

"I recovered about a month after the mission, but was medically discharged soon after," Kiros elaborated.

"At least you weren't pronounced 'killed in action'," Laguna humorously added, but Kiros could tell his friend was confused by it.

"Yeah...no idea why they did that...they discharged me and sent me packing," Kiros replied, sharing Laguna's confusion about much of what happened after Centra. "I knew you weren't dead...I just didn't know where the hell they took you…until I got a little inside info and managed to track you down. You probably weren't in much condition to talk when you first got here anyway..." Kiros acknowledged, recalling what happened on the ship nearly two years earlier.

Laguna nodded in agreement, "Man. I was bed-ridden for seven months. It felt like every bone in my upper body was shattered and I couldn't even remember who I was at first," he explained excitedly, but then his demeanor became more serious, "After I recovered and got my memory back, I went back to Deling City. I saw my own grave, and felt like a ghost. I knew there was nothing left for me there, so I came back here…my new home…" he explained to Kiros, and his mood seemed to pick back up towards the end.

"So...what do you do around here?" Kiros curiously questioned, which made Laguna expand his chest and straighten his posture as he acted like some type of super man.

"Think of me as the Sheriff of Winhill!" he jokingly said with an overly manly voice. After a short laugh, he continued, "This place is peaceful and there are never really any disturbances, but there is a fiend infestation about two miles from here, and they occasionally make their way here. Nothing too dangerous, but its more to keep the children and elderly people safe. Other than that, I just do whatever is needed of me, whether its repairing things or running errands. I'm a jack of all trades here!" he clarified his role in the town to Kiros, who simply nodded, looking like he had something on his mind. However, before he could ask a question, Laguna followed up with one of his own.

"How's Ward?" he softly asked, sounding a bit worried. However, Kiros chuckled and quickly alleviated his fears.

"Ward is fine," Kiros assured Laguna, who breathed a sigh of relief, "He was medically discharged as well, and got hired as a corrections officer at DDP," he finished, just as Raine walked up next to the table, "AND...He got married, can you believe it? One of his nurses fell in love with him!" Kiros laughed as he informed Laguna, who looked over to Raine and laughed.

"What a coincidence, I think my nurse fell in love with me too!" Laguna joked, referring to Raine. She didn't seem to be amused, but still added a quip of her own.

"As you can see, Laguna still suffers from minor brain damage," she explained to Kiros, who got a good laugh out of it at his buddy's expense.

"Haha. Well, that was the case before he cracked his head open," Kiros told Raine, and they shared a laugh, to which Laguna just brushed off.

"Laugh it up...hardy har har..." he waved them off, knowing they were kidding. As the laugh died down, Raine revealed the reason she walked over in the first place.

"Laguna...I need you to run over to the market and pick up rolls and green tomatoes...do you think you can handle that?" Raine challenged him in a slightly disparaging way. As usual, Laguna was obedient to her request.

"Sure..." he answered softly, sounding slightly dejected. As Raine walked off, Laguna slid out of the booth and headed towards the door with Kiros close behind. Laguna didn't say a single word on the way to the market, which was only about fifty yards away from the tavern. Still, Laguna had gotten unusually quiet in a matter of moments. Just before they entered '**Thom's Dairy and Produce**', Kiros stopped his friend with a simple question.

"What's wrong?" he asked with a bit of concern, pulling Laguna out of his temporary daze, who shook his head and forced a smile on his face.

"Its nothing..." he answered, and headed inside. As they walked through the small market, Kiros noted something else. All of the customers in the store seemed to be leering at Laguna as he passed them. Even a sweet looking elderly lady gave him a vindictive glare that Kiros wouldn't have thought she was capable of making otherwise. After picking up about ten tomatoes and a few bags of rolls, he stepped up to the checkout counter, where a middle aged man stood, giving him a similarly cold look that everyone else was giving him, even as Laguna smiled at him.

"Hey Thom...just picking up some things for Raine," he informed the store's owner as he place the items on the check out counter.

"I didnt ask…" he replied rudely to Laguna. Kiros felt a bit inclined to say something, but didn't know the situation well enough and didn't want to make waves during his short visit. Laguna paid for the products, and drew more of the same piercing scowls as he left the store. Laguna seemed content on being blissfully ignorant and not acknowledging the blatant insolence, but Kiros had to know what was going on.

"No offense buddy, but these people don't seem to like you much," he informed Laguna, who seemed to pick up his pace and walk faster. After a few moments passed and he got no response, Kiros stopped in his tracks.

"What gives?" he asked, seemingly demanding an answer with his reluctance to follow anymore. Laguna noticed this and came to a stop as well. He paused, and looked back to his friend, who was still waiting patiently for some type of response. Laguna took a deep breath and walked back to his friend. He then looked around the immediate area, making sure no one was near them to hear what he was saying.

"Before I got here, Raine's pub was the hottest place in Winhill. Actually drew in a lot of tourists because of her special microbrew," he informed Kiros, who still didn't really understand.

"So, what happened?" he shrugged and asked, "You were bad for business?"

Laguna nodded, since that was pretty much the case, "Raine was the only qualified nurse in Winhill. There were some doctors, but they were married with children and there are no hospices or anything like that. So Raine took me in. She tried running the pub and taking care of me the best she could, but apparently most of her time was devoted to me. The town started losing tourists and business, and then money, and a lot of people were forced to relocate. So, the townfolk around here always blamed me for that," he elucidated to Kiros in a low voice, which clarified most of the questions Kiros had, but stirred up a bit of confusion about his somewhat erratic relationship with Raine.

"Raine sounds like an amazing woman," Kiros remarked, causing Laguna to give him a look of confusion, "Possible candidate for a future Mrs. Laguna Loire?"

"Please," Laguna held up a hand and dismissed that notion immediately, "Raine is more like one of the guys. I can't even see her like that," he finished, which in turn confused Kiros.

"Why? She is really quite beautiful..." he observed, which make Laguna smirk and nod.

"Oh yeah...Raine's...great..." he muttered out as he reflected on what Kiros said, knowing it to be true.

"You never were a great liar, buddy," Kiros noted, biting back a laugh after seeing Laguna blush. Still, Laguna tried to play it off.

"No...really, she is. But...I just get the feeling I'm nothing but a burden to her...dead weight. Sometimes..." he began, and took another deep breath as he turned and looked at the cavern, seeing Raine through the window. "Sometimes I just get the feeling she would be happier if I left and never came back," he softly replied with disillusionment in each word he spoke.

"So...why don't you leave?" Kiros inquired, genuinely curious why he stayed somewhere where people didn't want him and he didn't really want to be. Laguna paused again and shook his head, indicating it wasn't and option, and then turned back to Kiros.

"Because I owe her my life...and...Elle..." he said, with obvious care and affection in his voice. With that, Laguna bowed his head, turned and walked back inside the bar. Kiros didn't want to upset his friend, so decided to leave it at that. After entering the tavern, they walked up to the main bar and Laguna sat the groceries on the cherry-oak countertop. After pulling the tomatoes out and sitting them on the counter, Laguna asked a question that Kiros wasn't expecting, but probably should have been.

"Kiros...Do you know anything...I mean. Have you heard, anythin..." Laguna stammered out, and for a moment, Kiros wasn't sure what he meant, but then remembered the only time Laguna really struggled to find words, and instantly knew what he was talking about.

"Julia?" he said the name, and Laguna raised his head and just looked at him, giving him affirmation that he was correct. Still, Kiros was hesitant to tell Laguna the little he knew. Still, after a moment, he fulfilled his friends request, "There was a memorial ceremony shortly after everything happened for all the fallen soldiers, and I thought I saw her. There was a slender lady in a black dress by your _"coffin"_ several times, crying uncontrollably. I went to approach her, but then I saw Fury consoling her and helped her into a limo," he told Laguna, speaking of their former superior officer, whom Laguna had a very tumultuous relationship with. Laguna stared ahead blankly, obviously dispirited by what he just heard.

"I figured you didn't know any other women who might be getting into a limo," Kiros finished, hoping it didn't hurt his friend too much. After a few moments almost pure silence, Laguna just grinned and shook his head.

"Seems like fate didn't want us to be together," Laguna assumed, trying to sound more upbeat than he actually was, "First, that night at the hotel, then getting shipped off to Trabia, then going on a mission that basically killed me…or at least the life I once had," he continued his somewhat pain recollection, shaking his head in regret as he looked down at the ground. There wasn't much Kiros could say to console his friend, so he instead just tried to take his mind off of it.

"Kind of makes you wish you never joined the Army, huh?" he asked in a joking and buoyant manner, which seemed to cheer Laguna up at least a little bit.

"No," Laguna shook his head, almost immediately, "Crazy as it sounds, I wouldn't change a thing. I would've never met you or Ward…and hell, I would've never even met Julia, anyway. I'd probably be stuck in Balamb City still, as a carpenter or something," he explained, and seemed to feel better as he came to that realization.

Just as he finished, Raine came out of the back carrying a basin full of glass beer mugs, "So, did you guys get a chance to catch up?" she asked as she sat the basin down and began putting the glasses on the shelves beneath the counter

"Sure did!" Laguna exclaimed with a smile on his face.

Raine returned a small smile and looked over to Kiros, "So Kiros, why don't you tell us a bit about what Laguna was like before this? He never wants to talk about it," she informed Kiros, who was a bit shocked. The Laguna he knew always wanted to talk…or more like BOAST about himself. There was a lot he could tell her among Laguna's more comical moments, usually surrounding his oft-scatterbrained actions, but didn't want to give her another stick to poke him with.

"There isn't much to tell, really," he replied convincingly, looking at Laguna who seemed grateful for his discretion, "From what I can tell, he is basically the same person I've always known…just with longer hair," he finished and winked at Laguna.

"I think it looks good," Laguna replied, running a hand through his now shoulder length locks.

"We talked about our friend Ward and some of our old missions as soldiers, and even about Laguna's love life," Kiros added, much to Laguna's dismay.

"Kiros, come on man…" Laguna calmly and quietly scolded his friend, giving him a look like he should have known better. However, Kiros didn't see the big deal considering Laguna claimed Raine was more like _"one of the guy's"._

"Love?" Raine repeated the word, suddenly taking more of an interest, but also seeming a bit uneasy, "Who was the lucky lady?"

After a brief pause, Kiros answered, "Have you ever heard of Julia Hart?" he asked, and Laguna buried his face in his hands.

"Huh?" Raine asked in confusion, looking over to Laguna, then back to Kiros, "The singer...Julia Hart? And Laguna? Ha!"

"Its true," Kiros told her in a matter-of-fact tone, "She took a liking to him back in D.C. a few years back," Kiros finished, and Laguna raised his head.

"It was a long time ago, before she was even heard of outside of Deling City," Laguna added, still shoot Kiros a disappointed look. Still, Raine didn't seem too upset, and in fact, much to Laguna's surprise, smiled at the mention of the singers name.

"I love her...such a beautiful voice," Raine softly stated, her eyes and smile fleeting into thought and her body swaying a bit as if she remembered something fondly, "And I love that one song...maybe the most beautiful song I ever heard," she finished, obviously partial to whatever song she recalled.

This part, however, was news to Laguna, "What song? I never heard it," he remarked, a bit surprised.

"Yes you have," she calmly insisted, "I played it all the time when I was nursing you back to health. Always seemed to make you happy, so I kept playing it," Laguna squinted, trying to sift through the shattered remnants of his memories like broken shards of glass. He only remembered bits and pieces of what happened between the Centra ordeal and the half a year and spend recovering. He remembered hearing voices and even tunes, but nothing clearly distinguishable during his coma. Raine could tell he legitimately didn't remember, and tried to jog his memory.

"Something like, _'My last night...da da da...same old song...da da...'_...oh I cant remember. I haven't listened to it in over a year," Raine blushed, obviously a bit embarrassed singing in front of them, even though she herself had a decent singing voice.

Suddenly, it was as if a surge of memories overloaded Laguna's circuits. The short tones and lyrics that Raine provided was enough to reach into the back of his mind and find more lyrics and notes, even though he could still only recall bits and pieces…

"_**How you shyly placed your eyes on me…"**__ he remembered watching Juila at the piano at the Galbadia Grand Hotel, being amazed by her. She never sang, but her piano playing was so soulful and inspiring, that Laguna was enthralled. Every once in awhile, she would look up and deep into his eyes, and while those brief moments were euphoric, he always bowed his head or turned away from her gaze, ashamed that she caught him._

"_**Darling so there you are…with that look on your face.."**__ the night he finally got to speak to her…it was her who approached him. He couldn't believe it. She was so elegant and well refined, and he was just a dime-a-dozen Galbadian soldier; one of thousands she had probably seen while playing at the hotel bar. Of all the brutes that went there to gawk at her….why him? Even to that day, he had no answer to that question._

"_**So let me come to you…close as I…wanna be…" **__ her hotel room…the last night he ever saw her in person. There was something there. He could feel it, and so could she. Something beyond words. Something he never felt before that scared him, but at the same time, excited him. Was it love? He didn't know, and unfortunately, never got the chance to find out._

Laguna took a deep breath and closed his eyes, bowing his head a bit as he did so.

"You alright buddy?" Kiros questioned with care, laying a hand on his friends shoulder. Laguna slowly picked his head up, and nodded with a small smile.

"Yeah, I just..." Laguna began, and took another deep sigh of air before he finished, "Just wish things had turned out differently, ya know?" he asked Kiros, who knew all to well his feelings for Julia. Unfortunately, Raine was not aware, and seemed slighted that his intimate feelings for the other woman still existed.

"Well….I'm glad to see you're so thankful, Laguna," Raine snapped at Laguna in a composed, yet aggravated manner, "Excuse me Kiros, it was nice meeting you," she finished as pleasantly as she could with a smile to Kiros, which quickly turned into a bitter scowl at Laguna, much like the townsfolk were giving him earlier. With that, she proceeded to leave the bar area and walked up the steps.

"Raine!" Laguna tried to call her back, which she of course ignored. Laguna slouched back down on the stool and let out an exasperated breath.

"Sorry pal," Kiros apologized. Even though it was pretty much his fault for raising the topic, Laguna shrugged it off.

"Its okay, she gets like that sometimes," he explained to Kiros, "That's why I never talk about women around her. There was a tourist chick here a few months back who I had dinner with, and Raine didn't talk to me for a week. Kept saying I was neglecting my duties, even though I never really did," Laguna finished, legitimately perplexed about why she reacted in such away.

Kiros couldn't help but laugh at his friends ignorance, "You really don't see it, do you?" Kiros asked, hoping Laguna would know what he meant.

"What? See what?"

Kiros paused, stifling another laugh before responding, "Why do you think she got mad when she saw you with ANOTHER WOMAN?" Kiros again inquired, emphasizing the last word, hoping Laguna could take a hint without him having to come right out and say it.

"Wha..." Laguna began to ask without thinking, but then suddenly, it hit him, "No...you don't know Raine at all, man. She isn't like that. Like I said...I think she resents me for having to take care of me and hurting her business. But I guess I deserve it...that's why I don't really respond when she puts me down. Trust me though, she definitely does not feel THAT way about me…" Laguna concluded after painting Kiros a more vivid picture of their relationship. Still, Kiros had seen enough to know what was going on; both had put up walls around their hearts to protect themselves from further heartache, and instead of trying to tear each others walls down, they simply reinforced them. Defense mechanisms…one used deprecation and artificial hostility to keep the others at arm's length; the other chose to make excuses and not see through it.

They did it to protect themselves, but instead, it was just making them both miserable. Kiros didn't want to force the subject, but he wanted to see his friend happy.

"You're right Laguna, I don't know Raine, " Kiros stated as he stood up, "But I know YOU…" Kiros contended and began to slowly walk away from the bar area, leaving Laguna to his thoughts for a moment. In ways, Laguna knew he was right, but even though he cared for Raine, he didn't feel the same feelings he felt with Julia. The sparks weren't there, and the ones that were there were the result of all the friction between them. Even if the friction wasn't real, Laguna decided that if she felt more comfortable pushing him away, he wouldn't try to get too close. It saddened him that their relationship was built on such an unstable foundation, but he supposed it had to be that way.

"Well, its probably time I head off," Laguna heard from behind him, catching him off guard. Kiros was standing there, smiling.

"Already? You can stay here the night, if you want," Laguna shot out of the stool, and walked over to his friend, "Sorry for being such a downer…" he apologized, not wanting his friend to leave.

Kiros laughed a bit and waved Laguna off, "No...I just wanted to see you were alive with my own eyes, and I'm glad I did.." he again smiled to his friend, who returned the warm gesture, "But I'm needed back home. Plus my chocobo up the road is probably hungry right about now…" he informed Laguna, and started walking towards the door.

"It was great to see you, buddy," Laguna sincerely and warmly told his colleague, and they embraced once more in a hug.

"Likewise, my friend. Give Raine and Ellone my best," Kiros stated, patting Laguna on the back as the hug ended. With that, Laguna watched as his friend opened the door and started to walk out, but turned back to give one last piece of advice.

"And Laguna..." Kiros began and then paused briefly, while Laguna raised his head, waiting for the next words, "...think about what I said. You already lost out on one opportunity for love because you waited too long. Don't make that mistake again…" Kiros stated, a bit solemnly, and closed the door.

Laguna didn't know how to feel at the moment. He cared for Raine, but it wasn't fair to lead her on if he didn't feel the same love he had for Julia, and wasn't sure he ever would. In his head, Julia was his one true love, and much like everything else from his former life, he lost it. On top of that fact, he didn't truly believe she felt that strongly about him either. Even if she was hiding her feelings, she had shown none that gave him the impression that she had romantic interest in him in the slightest. Given all the facts, he didn't want to take the chance. Their relationship was already strained, and him trying anything could permanently destroy what they did have. As dysfunctional as it may have been, he at least felt like she had some semblance of care for him, and didn't want to ruin that.

Laguna shook his head, which was feeling particularly weird at the moment, and blinked his eyes as he felt a tingling sensation in his head and the back of his eyeballs; a feeling he felt he had before.

"Damn fairies!" Laguna joked, recalling the peculiar feeling from years past.

_And with that, everything began to fade away, slowly. _

_The sights…the sounds…the smells…the feelings….everything._

_The question NOW was, if he was leaving Laguna's world, where would he wake up next?_

* * *

Yeah yeah…so, I'm back.

I'll keep going with this. Might take a few years to finish, but hopefully, someone sticks with it.

Even if no one is reading this, I'm going to keep going. I feel compelled to finish this story.

Have a lot of the next three chapters written, but life is somewhat busy so I cant make any promises about when they will be finished.

**Chapter Notes**

Obviously, this chapter was a bit different from the game. Took out the cheesy dialogue and tried to make it feel more realistic and answer some questions that weren't answered in the game. I might add a few extra SMALL Laguna chapters, since Im trying to paint a picture and bring a purpose to these dreams, but Im not 100% sure yet.

**Older Chapters**

I am currently going through my older chapters and fixing them up...something I have wanted to do for awhile. The epilogue and first 3 chapters have been fixed and reposted. There still may be some small mistakes, but I took out some unneeded crapola, bits of poor writing and fixed all the grammar errors I noticed. But again, likely wont be perfect. You dont have to reread them...I didnt change any story points really, but if you want to, go ahead. I will keep you all updated when I redo chapters.

**Future Chapters**

Like I said, not sure when the next one will be out, but there will be more, no doubt. HOWEVER, I will be eliminating certain parts of the story that I feel don't really add much, and will be adding pieces of my own. DON'T WORRY, all the big things like the Garden battle and Seifer confrontation, and Esthar stuff will still happen, but you'll just have to read and see the changes, and hopefully, you like them.

**Until next time…**

_Prodigy_


	32. Chapter XXVI: Nightfall

"_The night is darkest just before the dawn…"_

**Chapter XXVI**

_**Nightfall**_

_Tiny particles of scentless carbon were inhaled into his nostrils slowly, as air filled his lungs once again. He coughed as his consciousness in Laguna's world faded and he began to awake back in his own. The stifling scent of burnt wood and tar hung in the air, with lingering soot and ash clouding the room. After a few moments, Squall became fully alert, but it was almost too much for him. He gasped and pushed backwards with the heels of his boots, until the flat of his back and his head were pressing against the wall behind him, which he couldn't believe was still standing. _

_The room was covered in a veil of darkness, which was only worsened by the fact that everything in the room was charred black with fire and smoke damage. Some light from the outside peeked in from the open doors of the ballroom of the presidential palace, or at least what was left of it. _

_As he scanned the room, nothing made sense. The inferno has singed everything into an unrecognizable crisp, the ceiling high above had partially caved in, and broken and splintered beams and chunks of wood were littered throughout the room. However, amongst the ruins, he sat there, perfectly unblemished. He reached up and ran his bare hand along his chest, where last he remembered, there was a sub-zero spike protruding from it. Now…there was nothing, not even a scratch._

"_What the hell?" he questioned aloud, still in disbelief. This couldn't be his world. No human could have survived that. Even if by some Hyne-granted miracle he had somehow been spared from the wrath of the flames, it didn't even begin to explain how there was no wound near his heart. Even if, at that point, he was willing to believe almost anything, he didn't believe that this was real. Another dimension? Possibly. The afterlife? Could be…but this wasn't the world he left. _

_He rose to his feet, leaning against the blackened wall behind him for support. Swirling winds and a supercharged gust stormed into the room, blowing the doors to the balcony off their burnt hinges and to the back of the room and joined the rest of the debris in the center of what used to be the dance floor. Squall didn't flinch, but instead redirected his attention to the outer corridors. As he reached the balcony, the sight that greeted him was nothing short of terrifying._

_Thick gray clouds of billowing dark smoke blanketed the violaceous sky, twirling and moving as if they had conscious thought. It would form various abstract shapes and morph almost immediately into something else, with bright flashes of lightning that fluttered and peeked through the momentary breaks in the clouds. In the center of the purple sky was a nightmarish vision, with a supernatural funnel made of the same black clouds that seemed to be swallowing the heavens, along with any remaining traces of humanity that remained on the planet. Millions of corpses littered the streets of the once vibrant and energetic city; most of them already fully decomposed and were mere skeletons with tattered clothes. The skyscrapers and massive buildings that once decorated the city's skyline were now reduced to rubble, aside from a few that stood at half their previous size, crumbling more and more by the moment. _

_The city was destroyed, and the damage likely extended far beyond that._

_Squall slowly turned, trying to make sense of it. Was this the distant future? The result of not being able to stop the sorceress? Maybe, but why was he seeing it? Why was it just him in this nightmare? Was he dreaming still? Or was it yet another mind-fuck, courtesy of the sorceress?_

_That was it. There was no other explanation. She had already tricked him once, and he wasn't falling for it again._

"_I'm not afraid of you," Squall began calmly, but fiercely, believing the sorceress could hear every word he spoke. Still, there was nothing but silence for the next few moments, until indefinable sounds echoed into the room from the hallway. Squall walked towards the back the room and out into the hall, which was just as much of a disaster as the ballroom. He could actually still see smoke rising and feel heat radiating off the detritus, as if the fire had just been extinguished. But…it wasn't real. It was her, just like the last time._

_Squall could hear the sounds downstairs, so he climbed over all the burnt wreckage on the stairwell and reached the first floor. He weaved through the remains of the palace hallways, passing charred skeletons still dressed in G-Army armor. The corridors seemed to last forever, and they all looked the same. It felt like he was walking in circles, despite the fact he knew he wasn't. Another mind trick, most likely, but either way, he needed to find a way out of it, regardless of what it might mean. _

_After a few more turns down different halls, the sounds he was hearing finally became more distinguishable. First, it sounded like a female voice…then a female voice calling his name…then a female voice screaming his name…then a female voice crying out in pain…and then, the voice became recognizable…_

"_RINOA!" he screamed. It was probably another hoax of Edea's, but that didn't stop Squall from chasing after the source of the cries. After turning down a few more corridors, the screams faded into shattered echoes, and then eerie silence. Before him now stood a pristine white door, which much like him, was unscathed by the fire that destroyed everything else. He slowly reached down and turned the golden handle, creeping the door open, inch by inch._

_To his surprise, he was back in the presidential ballroom again. This time, however, it was different. Sunlight greeted him from the outside, and the room was now full of Galbadian police, soldiers and coroners. However, despite several seemingly looking right at him, no one reacted. They didn't see him. Even as he ventured further into the room, he got nothing, as if he was a lost spirit stuck on a plane of existence where he didn't actually exist anymore._

_From the corner of his eye, he spotted police and coroners taking pictures of something that just happened to be right around where his body was when he awoke. He walked over, and the group cleared around the scene, and Squall saw what they were so interested in. It was a body, burnt beyond recognition. The only thing only the body that was truly identifiable was a pair of golden dog tags, which were melded into the cooked skin, and a wound that was ripped through the upper chest of the cadaver._

_This was more along the lines of what he expected, but what he didn't expect was to be standing above his own lifeless body._

_Is this what really happened? Or was this fake as well? Before he could analyze it anymore, his thought was interrupted._

"_Teleka….you're gonna wanna see this," one police officer in the hallway poked his head in, talking to another officer inside the room, who wrapped up his discussion and walked out. Squall followed him, hoping it would provide some answers instead of just raising more questions. He followed the officers down the hall and into another room, which appeared to be the presidential library. _

_Upon entering, Squall looked around the room, seeing nothing too out of the ordinary. Again, there was a group of police and corners huddled around, talking about something. As he walked forward, though, he heard his foot splash down into liquid. Looking down, it was a dark pool of red, that seemed out of place. Looking up, he noticed the police pointing, just overhead of the doorway he entered._

_Squall slowly turned, and what he saw nearly broke him._

_It was a familiar young lady with black hair, mercilessly crucified on the wall above with a deep gash in her midsection with her entrails hanging out. Squall fell to his knees, and began breathing heavily. He kept trying to tell himself it wasn't real, but something kept reinforcing that it was. He could hear Rinoa's screams of agony again, along with sorceress' spine chilling laugh echoing in his mind. She was calling his name, begging for his help, but it was fruitless. Squall covered his ears, but the cacophony of Rinoa's painful pleas and the sorceress' demonic cackle were still amplified even louder in his head, and a feeling of overwhelming guilt flooded him. He couldn't breathe, think or move, and just bowed his head and started to cry. He hadn't cried like that since he was a child, and in ways, it was somewhat liberating. _

_But for the most part, it was eating him alive. _

"_Boy…" he heard beside him as he sobbed, and looked up, seeing the sorceress standing next to him. He slowly looked up to her with tear filled eyes, and she grazed the side of his face with her soft hand. Her touch brought with it not only relief, but also an infinite amount of joy and love that warmed his entire being._

"_Join me…and all or your suffering will end. Serve at my side, and you and your princess shall be reunited and granted an eternal ecstasy that only I can provide you…" she explained to him, and extended her hand._

_This time, Squall was too weak to resist her beckoning call. The warmth he felt WITH her was too much to ignore, and the pain he felt WITHOUT her was beyond words. He began reaching his hand up to touch hers, hoping the love he felt before would return and never leave him. _

_However, before their fingers touched, a voice spoke out above him._

"_Squall…" a soft voice spoke, and he looked up to Rinoa, who was no longer hanging on the wall, but floating in the air in a pristine white gown, with extended angel wings and light engulfing her figure._

"_Ri…Rinoa?" he barely got out, not sure if what he was seeing was real._

"_BOY…TAKE MY HAND! SHE CANNOT GIVE YOU THE EVERLASTING GLORY THAT I CAN!" Squall heard the sorceress demand next to him. He slowly stood up, looking at the sorceress, still considering her offer. Rinoa's floating form descended before him, and walked up within reaching distance. Much like the sorceress did, she placed a hand on his cheek and grazed it._

"_It's time to wake up, Squall," Rinoa gently stated with a smile, and Squall's moist eyes closed. Her touch was every bit as loving and comforting as the sorceresses. However, Rinoa's touch had one intangible quality that the sorceress' touch did not…_

_It felt…__**real**__._

_Suddenly, Squall gasped and his eyes shot open…_

* * *

**Thursday, May 25th 4268/Somewhere, In Front of the Mirror**

**0522 hrs**

Unforgiving florescent white light burned his eyes…_his real eyes_…as they opened for the first time in over two weeks. Blurred and foggy visions of his environment faded in and out as his sight slowly adjusted with dilated pupils and dried gunk crusted around his eyelids. His other senses were also catching up with him. The room smelled sterile with the pungent scent of ammonia-laced disinfectants hanging in the air so heavily that it stung his throat. The room he was in, wherever it was, was needlessly chill. He could only assume he was in some type of medical bay, but he had no idea where.

Various pains and other indistinguishable sensations could be felt more and more with each passing second. There was a nasogastric feeding tube running through his nose and down his throat. He felt little pricks all over his body, most likely from various injections of Hyne knows what. In his upper chest, he could feel a strong pressure of throbbing pain that was barely tolerable. He finally managed to raise his head as his vision started to clear, and a lot of his questions were answered.

He was in an inclined hospital bed, completely naked with the lower half of his body covered with a thin white sheet. Hovering over him was a fully illuminated surgical lamp, brightly glowing along with the artificial lighting panels in the ceiling. The room was rather large, empty, and devoid of color. Everything was the palest shade of chalky white, from the walls, to the floor, and even the various pieces of specialized medical equipment, several of which were connected to him in some fashion. He pushed up with his arms slowly, the discomfort in his chest worsening as he did. As he sat upright, he started to pull the feeding tube out, gagging a bit as he did. He tossed the tube off to the side and looked to his chest, seeing a huge bandage wrapped around what was undeniably the wound he suffered in the mansion.

Somehow he had survived, but he had no idea how. The last thing he could remember was Irvine running out of the ballroom with an unconscious Rinoa hoisted on his shoulder. He still didn't know if they actually made it out, but if they didn't, there was nothing he could do now. First and foremost, he needed to figure out where HE was.

He slid his tingling legs to the side of the bed and put his feet down on the cold, checkered linoleum. The wall to the far left had a mechanized steel door, but required a key card to enter and exit the room. A few feet away from the door was a gold-tinted window that only served as a mirror within the room. He stumbled away from his bed, ripping out various cords and needles that were injected into him, and weakly made his way to the window. He didn't know where he was, but knew someone had to be on the other side.

The question was…_who_?

As he came within a few steps, he toppled forward, his hands and face lightly landing against the multiple-paned window. Squall could tell he was no longer protected by Quezecotl, which meant someone, or _something_, extracted the guardian force from him. He was too weak to attempt to break through the window, which was likely reinforced and bulletproof anyway, so all he could do was rest his forehead against it, and wait for whoever was on the other side to reveal themselves.

* * *

**Thursday, May 25th 4268/Somewhere, Behind the Mirror**

**0522 hrs**

She stood there, completely upright, with her hands interlocked behind her back, head slightly tilted and eyes locked onto the young man inside the room. Part of her hated him, and yet, for some reason, part of her loved him. Part of her wanted to crush him in her palm like a bug, while part of her wanted to comfort him in her arms.

Still, despite the odd and conflicting emotions on the inside, she remained emotionless for the most part. Frustration was the only thing she could feel at the moment. Frustration at her own failure, as well as frustration at the young man's stubbornness…_or was it more than that? _Regardless of what it was, she had twice failed to lure him into her web.

The young man got out of his bed and plodded forward until falling against the one-way window, his open palm pressed against it. She placed her open, gloved hand against the glass where his hand was, looking at him as caringly, and at same time, viciously.

Moments later, someone else walked into the room, which was set up with several computers and wall monitors, displaying the prisoners' vital signs and other pertinent information. The individual that entered walked up next to her and didn't say a word. He didn't need to, though. She sensed his presence wherever he went.

"I do not understand," she remarked with bewilderment, and the young blonde knight named Seifer Almasy looked at her in wonderment, "He is a mere human. Flesh and blood…yet he is able to resist even my strongest temptations," she finished, with anger mounting even more after each word.

Seifer looked back inside the room, where his longtime rival, Squall Leonhart, was leaning his head against the window, "There are other ways to get him to comply," he informed her without a shred of real emotion. "What will you have me do, my lady?"

She paused in uncertainty, as a myriad of thoughts ran through her mind. Something inside of her was desperately hanging on tightly to the unexplainable nurturing feelings she had for the young man. However, another part of her yearned to end the boy's life immediately, not because she hated him, but because she actually _feared_ him. Regardless of her feelings, she felt that he had information they needed. After all, that was why she rescued him from certain demise in the burning ballroom.

At least, that's what she thought.

"Do what you need to do to get the information from him," she sharply answered, and immediately exited the room in a wave of purple energy. Seifer looked around the now empty room and then back to Squall, somewhat relishing the opportunity to interrogate him.

"As you wish..." he smirked and remarked to himself, as torturous notions danced through his mind.

* * *

**Thursday, May 25th 4268/Foxhound Underground Base – Private Tactical Room**

**0709 hrs**

The two middle-aged men sat at the strategy table, glaring at the large screen in front of the room. One man nursed on a now almost empty glass of aged scotch, trying to drown his sorrows before his sorrows drowned him. The other man sat with a remote, flipping through the various news channels, which were all talking about the same thing, and had been for the better part of the previous two weeks.

_**"It has been just over two weeks since the terrifying events at the Galbadian capital where an estimated 322 citizens and 27 police officers and presidential security were killed in a deadly riot during the inauguration of Sorceress Edea, who is now the self appointed leader of the Galbadian Republic after the assassination of former president Vinzer Deling. His death is still under investigation, but early reports suggest that mercenaries from the Balamb Garden Academy for SeeD's were responsible. Whether or not this was an approved mission by Balamb Garden or merely the work of rogue agents has yet to be determined…."**_

The tan skinned female reporter continued, and the men in the room just closed their eyes. Despite the worldwide broadcast of the sorceress making a gory soup of Deling's body, most networks were reporting that SeeD was responsible. Out of pure fear of reprisal, not a single news network spoke negatively about the new ruler of Galbadia, and most Galbadian networks actually praised her. This was just a small sample of her expanding power and influence over the nation and the world.

"_**However, it is believed that the SeeD's were aided by several members of the Galbadian Army, including five-star General Jonothan Caraway and the Headmaster of Galbadia Garden, Edwin Martine, both of which are being sought in connection to the events that transpired that night. If you have any information as to their whereabouts, please contac…." **_

…and with the mention of their names, the General, or more appropriately, _FORMER_ General of the Galbadian Army, Jonothan "Fury" Caraway shut the monitor off. It wasn't news to them; they already knew they were wanted for treason and faced certain death. There would be no jury or trial either…just pure vengeance on behalf of the sorceress. Edwin Martine finished his glass of liquor, and slammed it on the table, before burying his face in his hands, pulling the skin of the face backwards, hoping he could turn back the hands of time and do things differently.

"It's only a matter of time before they find us down here," he stated warily with a strained voice, rubbing his eyes raw as he did so, "It's over...everything Ive worked for...GONE!" he shouted through his hands which cupped his face.

"My men will die before they talk," Caraway informed Martine, which did nothing to console the man, "And you weren't the only one who put it all on the line for this Edwin," he added, sounding just as hopeless. However, this comment did not sit well with the former Headmaster of Galbadia Garden.

"Go to hell, Jonothan!" he shot out of his chair, "You gave your entire life...EVERYTHING you had for this Hyne-forsaken country! You even put up with all of Deling's bullshit and you still remained loyal. How can it not bother you that everything you worked for may now be all for nothing!?" Martine challenged, making Fury shoot out of his chair and display his trademark rage.

"How dare you say that to me you self righteous son of a bitch!?" he screamed, eye to eye with Martine from across the table, "The mission failed...and I am sorry for what it cost you, but you weren't the only one who lost everything!" he stormed on, with anger and remorse tickled in his voice, before he calmed himself and continued, "And of course I care…but right now, the safety of my daughter is paramount. When I know she is safe, I will fight, but not until then," he finished warmly, almost tearing up at the thought of his daughter paying for his mistakes.

"And…where will you take her? Where do you think you can go that you will be safe?" Edwin impugned Caraway's idea, "Edea Kramer is gaining more and more support with each passing day, Jonothan! She now has command over the military...YOUR military! She is recalling soldiers from all over the world to prepare for her ultimate plan, and soon, no one will be able to stop her!" he asserted, before relaxing a bit and sitting down in the chair, pouring another drink from the bottle on the table.

"If you really think you can outrun what is coming...you're a fool," Martine finished faintly, and took a drink.

"Maybe," Caraway acknowledged the truth in Martine's words, "But it won't stop me from trying."

* * *

**Thursday, May 25th 4268/Balamb Garden - Infirmary**

**0940 hrs**

Xu stood in the doorway, just staring at the man in the bed, hoping that Hyne would bring him back to them. He had been in a coma since the night his wife was killed…or so he thought. Investigations showed it was indeed attempted suicide, as there was a dangerous cocktail of medications and alcohol found in his system, along with the razor blade he used to slice his arteries. According to Dr. Kadowaki, if Xu had discovered him even a minute later, Cid wouldn't have made it.

"How's he doing, Regina?" Xu asked Kadowaki, who was checking the Cid Kramer's blood pressure.

Kadowaki removed the stethoscope from her ears and took an exasperated breath, "No change," she answered and stood up as Xu walked further into the room, "His vitals are still weak. He just doesn't seem to have a strong will to fight through this," she grimly answered, as if she expected the worst. Xu walked past her and next to the Headmaster, brushing some hair out of his eyes.

"If only we could somehow let him know that his wife is still alive...it might give him a reason to fight," Xu stated, but Kadowaki didn't seem as fond of that idea.

"Is she, Xu?" Regina asked, and Xu turned to her.

"Excuse me?"

"Xu...Edea Kramer may still be alive, but be honest with yourself and really think...how much of his wife is really left?" Kadowaki revealed the meaning behind her statement, which then made perfect sense, "Her body may merely be a vessel...an empty shell that has been filled with the spirit of someone...some-THING else."

Xu nodded in agreement, "You may be right, Regina. But this Garden needs him..." she replied, having a sinking feeling that something bigger was coming, "Maybe now more than ever."

* * *

**Thursday, May 25th 4268/ Foxhound Underground Base – Private Tactical Room**

**1114 hrs**

Zell cracked his bare knuckles as he stared blankly ahead, waiting for the man who had unjustly imprisoned them and allowed their friend to burn down with the presidential palace. Himself, along with Quistis and Selphie had been restricted to guarded quarters in the hidden base beneath the city for the previous two weeks, and all three were getting cabin fever. Despite their predicament, they had been treated fairly well. They were given three of the best rooms they had available in the barracks, as well as access to various food and entertainment options. They only things they weren't granted were the freedom to leave or contact anyone outside of the underground headquarters. Even with Selphie's technical and hacking skills, she wasn't able to get the phone to dial out.

Now, they were back in the hidden tactical room, where it all started…or ended, depending how you looked at it. The place where they supported a mission that ultimately failed miserably, and were now being detained for reasons beyond their comprehension. At first, it was _somewhat_ understandable that they did it to prevent escalation of a situation that was already out of hand, but there was no valid justification for keeping them as long as they had. What made it even worse was that they were kept in the dark the entire time, and were refused company with the general.

_Until now, that is._

After about fifteen minutes of waiting in the room with six armed soldiers policing them, the man they were waiting for, Jonothan Caraway, entered quietly, and excused four of his men, keeping two just in case the SeeD's tried something. Their guardian forces and para-magic were useless in the underground base due to the ionic disruptors installed around the base, but they were still trained well enough in other ways that they posed a real threat.

Caraway took his seat at the head of the table as he looked at the three individuals before him. Quistis and Selphie just gave him a jaded stare, and Zell looked like a rabid and famished dog that just found a juicy steak. The general was not intimidated, but still didn't directly initiate eye contact with them. He wasn't scared, no…it was something much worse.

He was _ashamed_.

"I'm sure you three are quite angry, and justifiably so, but I hope you understand why this is happening," the general explained and looked up to the SeeD's, who still had the same cold glares plastered on their youthful faces. After a brief silence, Quistis leaned forward in her chair.

"We understand perfectly, general," she replied calmly, with a slight nod, "You're a coward," she affronted and gave a spurious smirk. As General of the Galbadian Army, he would normally never tolerate such insubordination, but the reality was, he wasn't really the General anymore, and didn't deserve the respect of that title any longer.

"I suppose I deserve that," he responded, sounding legitimately regretful. However, his civility did nothing for Zell, who at the moment was like a can of carbonated soda that has just been fiercely shaken, and the general just pulled the tab.

"It's the truth you gutless fuck! We help your sorry ass on your bullshit mission, and you repay us by imprisoning us and LEAVING SQUALL THERE TO DIE!" Zell shouted before he shot from his seat, surprising Quistis and Selphie. However, before Zell could make to the general, two soldiers stepped between them, armed with steel batons. Zell looked at the soldiers, who glared back with expressionless gazes. Zell looked between them, and locked eyes with the target.

"You're lucky your boy scouts are here to protect you...or I would FUCK you up!" Zell threatened and pointed at Caraway, but his flippancy was annoying Quistis.

"Zell…ENOUGH!" she reprimanded, giving his a stern glance. He was still ready to throw down with the General, but respected his superior's somewhat indirect order. After Zell sat down, the general continued.

"I am truly sorry about your friend, but I didn't want to jeopardize any more lives," he stated, shaking his head as if wishing things had been different, "Perhaps if Rinoa hadn't interfered, this whole fiasco could've bee..."

"Blaming your daughter? Really?" Quistis shot in, interrupting the general mid sentence, "Take some responsibility and own up to your failures instead of trying to pin them on everyone else!" she demanded, but her bluntness upset the general.

"You..." he began with strained anger in his voice, but caught himself almost immediately. He knew she had a point, despite how derisive the comment was, "You're right. I failed...in many ways. But whether you choose to believe it or not, I am trying to make things right!" he closed his eyes and explained to them, with determination in his voice.

Qustis nodded, and then got to the main question she wanted to know, "When can we go home?" she inquired, but the general's expression was more than she needed for an answer.

"As I'm sure you know by now, Galbadian air traffic throughout the northern continent has been grounded. Bridges and all other exits out of Deling City are blockaded, and the military is keeping a close eye on Balamb Garden," he explained to them, giving them information they already knew, "They somehow knew SeeD was involved in the assassination attempt," he finished, but this part was news to them

"What!?" Selphie asked, as all three SeeD's became notably uncomfortable, "How did that happen!?"

"I don't know," the general replied, shaking his head.

"You're the General of the entire Galbadian army! Can't you do something?" Selphie followed up.

"I have abandoned my post as General," he answered with a disheartened sigh; the statement somewhat catching the SeeD's off guard. "If they were to ever find out I was involved...if they don't already...my life and the lives of those closest to me would be in jeopardy," he elaborated, obviously referring to Rinoa. Despite everything, it was clear she still meant the world to him, which at least proved to them that he had a heart, even if it didn't particularly ache for them.

"So why do you have us locked up like animals still, then?" Zell posed the question with a shrug, "You don't need us anymore!"

"Again...freeing you at this point would risk both your lives and the lives of everyone involved," he explained again, "At this point, there is simply no way back to Balamb."

"Can't we at least talk to someone from Garden? SeeD can help us!" Selphie insisted, with a mix of hope and desperation in her voice.

"We have tried sending encoded messages to your Garden, but have received no response as of yet," Caraway regretfully informed them, "It seems as if communication is still an issue between here and Balamb," he finished, causing the three SeeD's to slump in their seats. Part of Quistis was wandering if Garden even cared if they came back. After all, they approved a mission that would be dangerous even for veteran SeeD's, but in this case assigned it to three SeeD's who were just inaugurated days before.

It made absolutely no sense.

"As soon as we find a way to safely return you to Balamb, we will do so," the general stated as he rose to his feet, brushing over his the top of his battle dress uniform, "Until then, we have no other options. I'm sorry," he concluded softly, and proceeded to exit the room, and the three SeeD's were escorted back to their secured quarters.

The meeting had provided no answers…just more questions.

* * *

**Thursday, May 25th 4268/Balamb Garden - Basement Level 4 Secret Area**

**1231 hrs**

The robed faculty member stepped in front of the elevator on the first floor, next to a group of rowdy cadets who were laughing and talking loudly. It was the last day of spring classes, and the halls were buzzing with excitement for the upcoming summer recess. Cadets that had families usually went home to spend their break with loved ones, while orphaned cadets or those not close to their family either stayed at Garden or went on vacations with friends. Summer break was only three weeks, but they were three weeks of heaven after four months of seemingly nonstop training and education.

As the elevator door opened, the group prepared to board, until the Garden faculty member held his hand in front of them, stopping them in their tracks.

"Take the next one, cadets!" he demanded and walked forward, before stepping inside the elevator and tapping one of the buttons. The cadets stared agitatedly at the member of the eternally cantankerous Garden Faculty, and muttered expletives under their voices as the door slid shut. As the elevator started to descend, the faculty member reached over and swiped a card through the reader. A moment later, the lights dimmed until the elevator was pitch black. A panel in the ceiling retracted and a series of inspection lasers and scanning bands of light began tracing every inch of the individual requesting access to the highly safeguarded area of Garden.

"_**Garden Faculty Member 14A…Clearance Code R2D2C3P0…Unrestricted Access…VERIFIED," **_the computerized voice spoke, and the lights turned back on as the elevator continued its descent into the depths of Balamb Garden. After a few moments, the elevator doors opened to Basement Level 4A. Two Garden faculty members stood security to make sure whoever came out of the elevator actually was one of the very few authorized personnel allowed on that level.

The faculty member passed by his cohorts without inspection, walked down the short set of rusted, black metal stairs, and turned right. He walked along a pathway into what looked like a dark cavernous territory, with no lighting and no sounds emanating from the area whatsoever. However, as the robed faculty member continued on, lights on the floor started to illuminate in front of him, forming a slightly brightened path ahead of him. To anyone who didn't know the layout of level 4, they would be completely lost and possibly frightened since there was nothing but pitch blackness that lied ahead. The walk lasted about five minutes until the Garden faculty member reached a very dimly lit, but expansive area that was over seventy yards in diameter and domed shaped. The entire hippodrome-like area was empty and musty, and to the unbeknownst, it would seem like a section of Balamb Garden that was long forgotten and completely unused. On the opposite end of the room was a flat section of metal wall, with an enormous circular design imprinted on it, with several unique and ancient etchings molded into the metal. Other than that and the sheer size of the area, there was nothing distinctive about it.

After a brief pause, the Garden faculty ventured deeper, but after just a few steps, stopped as the lights brightened all around him from atop the domed ceiling, and speakers blared loudly with white noise, accompanied by some cracking audio due to the high volume. Seconds later, a sloppy, chewing sound and slurping loudly echoed throughout the domed area and down the pathway that led there. After whoever was on the other end swallowed their food, they spoke.

"BILB FU RRMIOPK SIPKRWI LEIWB?," the deep, guttural voice blared through the speakers in Shumian tongue, spoken pretty much exclusively by members of the rare Shumi race. Most Shumi's lived in the deep north due to their natural habitat of cold climates, but there were a few villages in moderately warm climates. However, this particular Shumi was not welcomed in any Shumian tribes or villages, and for good reason. He not only shunned their ideals, but also disgraced everything they stood for.

"Yes, Master," the faculty member who understood the language, responded, "Operation Nightfall will still be a success."

"JUPR KUUNSA DDOA DDOA CRWPAL ABNEN TOOR?" the Shumi named Satius Nax-Orpal-Ramm-Gul, better known as NORG, questioned to one of his many loyal servants from his anonymous location.

"Commander Brak is working diligently with us to get everything in order," the faculty member explained to his superior, "But it's going to take some time before we can begin Operation Daybreak."

"SUHHNA BUBA JIILHEU DOOMA, TULLA BETNE UBA KINDOO!" the speakers boomed, magnifying NORG's rage to the unwelcomed news he just received.

"Cid Kramer still lives, Master," the red-robed figure explained to the Garden Master, trying to calm him, "We cannot remove him as Headmaster until he expires or until enough time has passed. The SeeD's on the Garden Council will not allow it," he finished, and heard heavy, flaring breaths on the other end. The mission was not going as smoothly as they had hoped, and despite the sugar coating, it was not enough put NORG's mind at ease.

"TINKA TULLA VOI LO! ODA NUA TRAPUR DOOMA DOOMA GALAO!" NORG roared with his accumulated agitation.

"Yes, Master," the faculty member bowed at his superiors order. With that, the unseen NORG ended the conversation. The generators clicked as they powered down along with the speakers and bright lights, leaving the faculty member standing alone in faint, flickering light that remained.

* * *

**Thursday, May 25th 4268/ Foxhound Underground Base – Living Quarters**

**1351 hrs**

Quistis thumb held down the button on the remote, changing the channels at such a pace that everything was just a blur of frames and bits of audio. She didn't care what was on television, nor was she looking for any channel in particular. She tried to watch the daytime soap opera that Xu always raved about, but couldn't take more than five minutes of the cheesy, convoluted dialogue and attractive actors that couldn't act their way out of a paper bag. Occasionally, she would stop on a news channel, only to listen to the same deceitful bullshit that the media was force-feeding to the public the last two weeks.

Eventually, she shut the TV off and tossed the remote to the side as she fell back into the bed she was sitting on. She closed her eyes, trying to lead her mind back from the brink of insanity. Not in her entire life had she remembered being so bored. She recalled many times in the past when she felt overwhelmed by the life of a Garden cadet, wishing to Hyne that she could have more down time to do absolutely nothing. However, this wasn't what she had in mind. An hour or two to herself a day was all she ever wanted or needed. More than that just made her restless, and made her overthink everything. However, after two ceaseless weeks of captivity, she had already had time to overthink pretty much every aspect of any thought that crossed mind. Now, her boredom was starting to feast on her sanity like termites chewing through the wood of an old house.

Amidst the barren ruins of her current psyche came a knock on the door, and just as she sat up in her bed, it slid open and a G-Army soldier walked in and stared at her.

"Whats going on?" she walked towards him with an eyebrow raised.

"You have a visitor. Please back away from the door," he informed her, and she stopped in her tracks and put her hands up as she took a few steps backwards. The soldier nodded to whomever was standing outside the door, and the young lady that entered brought an immediate smile to Quistis' face.

"Rinoa!" Qustis exclaimed with excitement, not sure why she felt so happy to see the girl. Maybe it was just due to the fact that it was a fresh face she hadn't seen since everything went down, but in the end, the only thing Rinoa was to her was the girl who got Squall's attention the way she never could. "How are you?"

Rinoa nodded, trying to smile, despite how perceptibly contrived it seemed, "I'm okay," she replied softly and looked back to the soldier, who took that as his cue to leave the room. "I'm so sorry! He has no right to keep you locked up like this," Rinoa bitterly stated as she apologized for her fathers deplorable actions.

"Its not your fault, Rinoa," Qustis smiled and walked closer to the black haired beauty, who was wearing a grey sweater with her hair pulled back into a ponytail. "And while I don't agree with a lot of the General's decisions; I know a lot of it is to ensure your well being…" she informed Rinoa. Despite her animosity towards Caraway, Quistis could not bring herself to belittle Rinoa's father in front of her, even though she knew Rinoa likely wouldn't take issue with it.

"Would you have left Squall behind the way he did?" Rinoa asked softly, almost looking as if she wanted to burst into tears.

"Rin.." Quistis started in a saddened undertone, but was stopped as Rinoa spoke again.

"He saved my life, Quistis.." Rinoa spoke more loudly this time, with obvious angst dripping from each word, "He saved my life...and we just… left him there..." Rinoa finshed and ducked her head as her eyes became warm and moist. She didn't want to appear as weak as she felt, but Quistis was much more empathetic than she realized.

Qustis walked forward and put a hand on Rinoa's arm, "Squall made his choice, Rinoa. And knowing Squall..whether he is dea..." Quistis stopped and closed her eyes, with the bile rising in her throat as she spoke the unforgiving words, knowing that eventually she would have to accept it as reality. Thus far, she had managed to convince herself that Squall was still alive somewhere, even though, deep down, she knew…

After a brief pause, she rephrased her comment, "Squall always stuck by his decisions and never backed down from responsibility. That's what made him special. If he could do it over...knowing what would happen to him, I guarantee you..." she continued, and Rinoa raised her head to listen, "..he wouldn't even give it a second thought before doing it again."

This _slightly_ relieved the guilt that had been eating away at her for the last two weeks, but only slightly. She again gave a weak grin to Quistis, and then walked past her and sat on the edge of the bed, "He whispered something to me...before I blacked out," she began to inform Quistis, who sat next to her, "He took my hand...held onto it tight, and said _'I wish things could've been different'"_ she quoted his final words, and bowed her head.

Qustis didn't have the words to comfort Rinoa. If anything, at the moment, Quistis was ashamed. Ashamed because the jealously she felt at that moment eclipsed her feelings of mourning and sympathy. _How had this girl that had been in Squall's life less than two weeks, succeed at breaking down a wall that she barely put a scratch in over the course of six years?_ Rinoa was pretty, yes, but there were several extremely attractive female cadets over the years that failed miserably at getting the young man's affection, so it went beyond physical attraction. Beyond that, she couldn't understand what Rinoa had that she didn't. Not that she disliked Rinoa by any means, but try as she might, she could not stop the question from endlessly looping through her mind.

Amidst her questioning trance, Rinoa finished. "I would give anything to see him just one last time, just to ask him what he meant by that," Rinoa stated as her breath got caught in her chest. Her grief was enough to bring Quistis' back from her temporary state of resentment, and she reached over and grabbed Rinoa's hand.

"Don't lose faith, Rinoa" Quistis comforted. Rinoa looked at her hand and then back to the blonde SeeD, "We thought Seifer was dead, too. There is still hope," she finished, with clear apprehension and uncertainty. Rinoa was aware of what Quistis was doing, and while she appreciated it, neither really had much optimism that that was truly the case.

"Yeah," Rinoa muttered, stood up slowly, and Qustis arose with her, "I just came to say goodbye. My father is taking me...I don't even know where, but its far away from here."

"Probably for the best," Quistis nodded, and Rinoa took a deep breath and walked past her towards the door, and pressed the button, where the soldier that guarded her room awaited. Before Rinoa exited the room, she turned back to the blonde woman, and left her with possibly a final sentiment.

"I really hope this isn't the last time we see each other," Rinoa delicately stated, "I know we haven't known each other that long, but I do consider you my friend…even if you don't feel the same," she smiled, and waited a moment for a response, but all Qustis did was smirk. Rinoa was a bit let down, but as she took a step towards the exit, the woman before her finally replied.

"I do..." Quistis answered with a slightly brighter smile. Rinoa let out a breathy laugh, gave a final small wave, and exited the room…both convinced it was the last time they would ever be in each other's presence.

* * *

**Thursday, May 25th 4268/D-District Prison - "Crack Shack"**

**1403 hrs**

His consciousness had been slipping in and out the last few hours, but he supposed it was better than the alternative. Last thing he remembered was being dragged onto a moving apparatus by two armed guards, and then assaulting them before a hard, blunt object slammed into the back of his cranium. However, in his delirium, he wasn't sure what was really happening or what was just figments of his imagination. His eyes fluttered opened, but his vision was still so hazy that he couldn't quite make out where he was. He could see the fuzzy silhouettes of two figures standing before him, but again, could not identify either. He closed his eyes again, trying to shake away whatever was fogging his senses. There was a buzzing hum within the room, which was slightly warmer than the colorless medical room he was in when he first awoke. He was bound by thick plastic zip-ties to a metal chair, and could feel cold metal rail beneath his bare feet. As he opened his eyes again, one figure appeared to be nearly face to face with him, and Squall backed his head away as his eyes slowly began to refocus. However, before his own eyes could answer the question, the other man's voice filled his ears, and sparked a rage within him, just as it had so many times before….

"Seems like all you ever do anymore is sleep, Squall!" the haughty 'knight' remarked, "I don't remember you being so lazy," he chuckled at his own demeaning humor. Squall squinted until finally, his vision cleared up just enough to stare deep inside the eyes of his captor, and long time rival, Seifer Almasy.

"Where am I?" Squall weakly inquired as he looked around. Various machinery and heavy equipment filled the room, as well as odd-looking devices that he could only assume were used for inflicting copious amounts of pain. Despite the treaties and codes issued by the World Council that prohibited torture, he knew he wasn't dealing with diplomatic or temperate people, and that Seifer was likely going to make him suffer for his mere amusement.

"DDP...'The Screw'...Desert District Prison..." Seifer raised his arms and spun, as if he were welcoming Squall to his new home, "Perhaps you've heard of it? And if you have...I'm sure you are aware that there is no way you're getting out of here. Seriously...I'm not even sure I could break ou..." Seifer explained, but then momentarily paused to reconsider what he was saying, "No..no, I could…but as always, I'm the exception that proves the rule," he finished, with the over the top narcissism that he was so apt at conveying.

Squall knew a lot about Galbadia's infamous Desert District Prison, and Seifer was right, there was no way he was getting out. Still, the question of why he was even there was still the only question Squall wanted to have answered.

"Why...didn't you just let me die?" Squall managed to get out, as he looked at Seifer, trying to give him a ruthless look, but his facial muscles were still too numb for him to properly control.

Seifer chucked and leaned in and slammed a hard palm on the SeeD's bare shoulder, "Because Squall...I would just miss you too god-damn much!" he jocosely responded. Squall, too weak to even roll his eyes, let his head droop down, and Seifer stood straight up, a bit chapfallen.

"Well, you're just no fun anymore! So, perhaps we should just get started," Seifer dryly stated, and slowly walked over next to a burly, black skinned man, who was laying out tools on a small table a few feet away, "Allow me to introduce you...this is Wyatt. Wyatt spent twenty-two years in the G-Army, and guess what his specialty was? A forced extrication expert!" Seifer boasted about his new 'friend',

"Wyatt, why don't you tell Squall what kind of fun you have planned for him?" he asked the intimidating man, who just aloofly glanced at Seifer for a moment and then went back to organizing his equipment, consisting of knives, razors, hammers, needles, chemicals and an assortment of other devices that Squall didn't want to know what purpose they served. "Wyatt is even less talkative than you, but why ruin the surprise?"

Unable to lift his head high enough, Squall traced his eyes upward until he got a view of Seifer, "What d'you want?" he anemically questioned, and Seifer got right to the point.

"Straight up, Squall," Seifer began, "You can save yourself a lot of pain by answering one simple question…" the blond continued, and then walked up to Squall, put a finger under his stubble covered chin, and raised head high enough to the point they were eye-to-eye.

"SeeD," Seifer muttered, and Squall stared blankly at the blonde.

"…What about it?"

"What is it's true purpose?"

"What?" Squall asked, legitimately perplexed as to what Seifer wanted to know. Seifer pulled his hand away and let Squall's head fall back down heavily.

"Why was SeeD established? There is some reason that SeeD exists...some 'grand plan' that SeeD has...and you're going to tell me what it is!" Seifer insisted and pointed an extended finger directly at him. Squall could only wonder if Seifer's memories had been affected by whatever the sorceress had done to him, because he spent his entire childhood training to be one.

"What are you talking about?" Squall lowly responded with confusion riddled in his voice, "You know exactly what SeeD is."

"No…I wasn't deemed worthy to be a precious SeeD...remember?" Seifer bitterly snapped back, enraged by the mere thought of his time at Garden, "And I know once you become a SeeD, you are entrusted with a secret...the true meaning of SeeD...a secret you vow to protect with your life. My question is...what IS that secret?" Seifer questioned with a demanding tone.

"There is no 'big secret', Seifer," Squall told him, much to Seifer's chagrin, "You know just as much about SeeD as I do."

"Oh Squall..." Seifer took a deep breath, walked towards Squall, and knelt and crouched down before him, "If you don't want to talk to me...you can talk to Wyatt. Last chance..." Seifer threatened, but Squall just stared at a Seifer with bloodshot, but intrepid eyes. Besides, there was nothing to tell. Seifer was mining for gold in an empty cave, and nothing Squall told him would convince him otherwise. After a few moments of silence, Seifer realized Squall wasn't going to talk. He bowed his head and let out a sigh before standing up, and nodding to the man named Wyatt.

"Do your thing..." Seifer nodded, and then looked back to Squall, almost appearing distraught, and proceeded to leave the area, and let the former G-Army interrogation expert to break Squall.

The man named Wyatt slowly walked over with a long needle, at least five inches long, and knelt down by Squall, who attempted to pull free from the zip-ties that bound him, but they were too strong for his frail state. As Wyatt crouched, Squall gave a snarling glare to the torturous sadist standing before him, letting him know he wasn't afraid.

"You may think you're tough, kid, but I've broken the most hardened men," Wyatt informed him as he pulled out a lighter, and started running the orange and blue flame along the length of the needle.

"I don't have the information you're looking for," Squall told him in low, monotone voice.

Wyatt lightly grinned, "Your friend may be interested in what you know, but I'm not…" he informed Squall and put the lighter back in his pocket. He grabbed Squall's hand, and forced him to extend his index finger, and placed the searing hot needle next to his fingertip.

"The only thing I'm interested in is making you regret not giving him what he wanted," Wyatt impassively explained, with no glimmer of mercy in his big brown eyes. Then, with no hesitation, Wyatt jammed the hot needle deep into the tip of Squall's finger.

No words could adequately define the blinding pain that followed.

* * *

**Thursday, May 25th 4268/ Foxhound Underground Base - Caraway's Office**

**1741 hrs**

"Sir...the transport is ready and your flight leaves at exactly 1900," a Galbadian soldier informed General Caraway, who nodded from his seat at his desk.

"Thank you, Sergeant," he acknowledged with small nod, and the soldier gave a salute, before exiting the room and closing the door behind him. With that, the general scrolled his glance to the young man sitting in the visitor's chair in front of his desk. He was wearing his duster and a purple vest with a white button down shirt, flipping his fingers along a wrapped block of cash. It was more money than he had ever seen, and it was now his. However, he appeared disgusted at the sight of the wad of bills in his hands.

"What's wrong, Mr. Kinneas. You have enough money to start a whole new life. I thought you'd be happier," Caraway noted, and Irvine looked up, casting a sharp eye at Caraway, "You don't have any family back here, do you?"

Irvine threw the money in the black duffle bag on the chair next to him, "Naw...not really," he answered dejectedly.

"Well there's a whole world out there for you to discover," Caraway informed him, trying to sound more upbeat than he actually was. Irvine zipped up the bag and looked back at the former General.

"For now..." Irvine tautly replied, his eyes and tone conveying a foreboding premonition that his words didn't. Caraway pulled his eyes away from Irvine, not wanting to show him he shared the same trepidations. They were both greatly affected by the first Sorceress War, albeit in a different ways, and the thought of that tragedy repeating itself was unthinkable. After all, the entire world was still recovering from the first one.

A moment of undisturbed silence passed, with the exception of Caraway flipping through papers on his desk, trying to ensure everything was in order before he left the underground base, probably for the last time. The door to his office crept open and both Caraway and Irvine looked over, watching as Rinoa walked in with her head down, carrying a red backpack and small, light brown toy puppy, which she clenched onto tightly.

"Rinoa," Caraway smiled and walked over to her, "Have you got everything you need?" he inquired, but his daughter just stared straight ahead, continuing to give him the silent treatment she had been giving him the last two weeks. Caraway understood her frustration, and reached over to touch her arm, "I know you are angry with me, but..."

"No Jonothan..." she smacked his arm away forcefully, taking him off guard. While Rinoa had much of her late mother's warmth and compassion, she also had the vehemence and stubbornness that he genetically passed on to her, "I was **angry** with you when you threw away my toys without asking. I was **angry** when you wouldn't let me go to a concert with my friends. I was **angry** when you treated me like one of your soldiers..." Rinoa expounded, the confidence and outrage in her voice increasing with each statement. As she finished, she dropped her backpack and stared directly at the general, "So if those things made me angry...tell me how I'm feeling RIGHT FUCKING NOW!" Rinoa shook lightly, gasping with tears in her eyes.

Until that moment, Rinoa's enmity for her father's actions two weeks earlier were much more subtle. This time however, his daughter's feelings were now much more tangible. However, it wasn't her harsh words that stung him, but the look in her eyes. In the past, despite their quandaries, he always felt like part of her was understanding of the choices he made, but this time, it wasn't there. In its place was genuine hatred for him, even if only in the slightest. However, it was enough to take Caraway's breath away for a moment. After collecting himself, he walked around her and to the door.

"I have to go make sure everything is in order," he quietly told Rinoa, avoiding the piercing eyes that were still locked onto him, "We leave in ten minutes. Be ready," he finished and closed the door behind him in a melancholy manner. As the door clicked shut, Rinoa closed her eyes and let out a long breath, with a few saddened pants. She then reached down to the floor and grabbed her backpack, before slowly making her way over to the chair next to Irvine, who just watched as she slowly lowered into a seated position.

Rinoa stared ahead, even though she could sense that Irvine watching her, but she had nothing to say to him. Much like her father, she avoided Irvine since everything happened. However, unlike her father, her feelings towards Irvine weren't ones of hostility. After all, he was just following orders and ultimately, he probably saved her life, but she still didn't want to look at him. All he did was remind her of that fateful night, and the price that was paid to ensure her safety. A price she wasn't entirely sure was worth paying.

"Rinoa," Irvine, who noticed she wasn't going to saying anything, interrupted her daze, "I know thing's been crazy tween us, but…I am sorry...bout how everything went down," he apologized, the genuineness in his voice being very real. She appreciated the sentiment on his part, but it really didn't change a thing. Try as she might, she still couldn't bring herself to look at him.

"Me too," she softly stated, barely louder than a whisper. Irvine immediately sensed that she really didn't want to talk, so he shifted in his seat and stared forward. Much like her, he had spent the last two weeks trying to shake the feeling that he did something wrong. Even though Squall likely would've died from his other injury, the fact that they didn't even attempt to save him burdened his soul.

In the midst of the quiet that consumed the office, loud sirens and alarms began to blare outside of the office, causing Irvine and Rinoa to look at each other in confusion.

"The hell is that?" Irvine asked and Rinoa looked towards the door. Irvine rose from his seat and began to walk over to try to get a better idea, but was instead greeted by a frantically wired General Caraway, who darted in through the door and right past Irvine, breathing heavily.

"What's going on!?" Irvine shrugged, knowing something was wrong.

"They found us..." Caraway stated in a shaky voice as he rushed towards the sidewall of his office.

"Who di..." Irivine began to ask as Rinoa rose to her feet, but was cut off by the answer.

"The fucking Galbadian Army!" the General feverishly stated. Rinoa's and Irvine's eyes stretched as wide as the sockets they were attached to allowed without popping out, and Caraway pulled on a small sculpture on the shelf. "They're about to storm the base...we need to get out of here!" Just as Caraway finished, the shelf in front of him spun, revealing a small arsenal of firearms, grenades and other weapons. Caraway grabbed an assault rifle and two 9mm handguns, and loaded them.

"Kinneas!" he called out, and Irvine looked at him, watching as the general swiftly grabbed a black shotgun and tossed to him. As the gun sailed through the air, Irvine was able to study it long enough to realize it was a _DPAS-12, 12-gauge tactical, pump-action shotgun_. It was a fairly old model, but Irvine was more than familiar with how to use it. As it reached his hands, a newfound confidence washed over him. He always felt dauntless with a gun in his hand or a lady on his arm, and in this case, the gun was more appropriate.

"Hoo-rah, sir!" Irvine smirked as he cocked the gun, ready to roll out. Rinoa just continued to observe until the general grabbed her elbow and forcefully tugged her along. Part of her wanted to rip away from his clutch, but she knew she would need his help to get out of there alive. Irvine grabbed the black bag with his money, strapped it over his shoulder, and followed Caraway out of the office.

They dipped into the hallway, with Caraway taking lead, Irvine being the eyes in the back of the general's head as he covered their rear, ready to blast anyone who threatened their welfare. However, the hallways in that section of the base were entirely vacant, and the only sounds were that of the blaring klaxon that reverberated the length of the corridor. Caraway dragged his daughter along, who tried to keep up but kept stumbling when her speed couldn't match her fathers. After turning down a few adjoining hallways, they came upon a metallic, mechanized door, which the general quickly opened with a swipe of a key card. The door lifted with a whoosh, and they proceeded to pass through into the main hangar, which was flooded with the other members of the Foxhound faction, preparing for the forthcoming invasion. Most were wearing their full battle dress gear, and carrying an assortment of weapons. Some loaded into various armored vehicles, while some fortified the entrance, expecting the Galbadian Army to blast through at any moment.

However, as the General, Rinoa and Irvine took a few steps into the open bay, the ceiling high above the hangar shook violently. Caraway abruptly stopped and looked up, and the tremors above them continued, accompanied by the sounds of detonations and shattered concrete. A loud cracking sound could be heard as if the roof was about to give out, and Caraway backed up slowly, in turn making Rinoa and Irvine pace backwards as well.

A long moment of silence passed, just before another loud explosion rang out, and huge slaps of rock fell from the middle of the ceiling, crushing a few vehicles and poor soldiers beneath the rainstorm of rock and earth. Caraway shielded his face as the gravelly dust wafted at them, clouding the entire area making it difficult to see anything. Gunfire started to blare out overhead, and Caraway glanced up, barely able to see soldiers that used to be at his command repelling down through the newly created chasm in the ceiling. He could also hear a salvo of bullets being exchanged from the main tunnel, which meant that the G-Army had infiltrated their underground base from more than one access point.

Knowing time was of the essence if he wanted to save what he cared about the most, he pushed Rinoa back through the door and Irvine followed suit, and the General shut the automated mechanical door. He tapped the red button on the metal panel next to the door, securing it, but new it wouldn't keep the intruders out long. He leaned back against the door, taking a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He looked to Rinoa, who was trying to seem brave, but her moist eyes convey her true demeanor. _Familiar eyes_…warm eyes that always reminded him of the love he once had in his life. A love that made him feel more alive than any bloody battle ever did. He lost one pair of loving eyes to his own stubbornness, and vowed that he would do everything in his power to protect the ones that remained, even if he never got to look into those warm eyes again.

"We aren't going to make it," Caraway muttered, which only brought Rinoa's underlying fear to the surface, and even sparked concern within Irvine's. However, Caraway knew what he had to do to give his daughter and the young cowboy a chance. He grabbed another keycard from his breast pocket and ran up to Irvine.

"Kinneas...take this!" he insisted, slamming the plastic card into Irvine's open hand, "Go to my private chambers...find the red book by the gradfather clock called, _**"The Desert Rose"**_ and pull on it. Insert this card, get in the elevator and enter Rinoa's birthdate. You'll find an armored truck and a path that leads out of the city. It has instructions of where to go, extra clothes and two weeks worth of food," the General explained frantically and quickly, trying to ensure he was at least articulate enough to get his point across.

"You ain't comin'?" Irvine cocked an eye, as explosions, clanging bullets and screaming soldiers continued to get louder in the hangar.

Caraway shook his head, "They are looking for me...I can stall them, but you still need to get out of here as fast as possible! I prepared for something like this, but was hoping it would never be needed," the general elaborated, clearly ready to sacrifice his life for his daughter. In that moment, Irvine found a newfound respect for the man before. A man who made his stomach turn just ten minutes earlier, was now showing a virtue that Irvine wasn't sure existed within him.

"Kinneas...Please protect her!" Caraway implored with every drop of blood in his heart soaking every word, with his only concern being his daughters welfare. Irvine simply nodded with a deadpan gaze, and Caraway gave him a quick pat on the arm before turning to his daughter.

"Rinoa.. I know you don't trust me, but PLEASE...follow my instructions…" he explained to her, but she just gave him baffled look, her eyes glistening with the tears that coated them. He fathers hand brushed along her head and then along her cheek, and Rinoa watched as a single tear flowed from his left eye.

"I love you, Rinny…more than you'll ever know…" he lovingly confessed with a soft tone, trying to make the moment last as long as he could, knowing it was likely the last time he would ever see her. Rinoa couldn't react, mainly because she didn't know how. Part of her would always love him, but at the moment, even the thought of never seeing him again didn't particularly bother her…at least consciously.

"GO!" Caraway demanded, trying to sound unflappable, but Rinoa could hear the anguish behind it. Irvine nodded.

"Rinoa…" he called to her, but she didn't turn. She just looked at her father, trying to feel something for him before she left his side. They stared at each other for a moment, with years of headaches and miles of dissension compressed into the three feet of physical space between them. She felt no love for him at the moment, but she wanted to. Desperately…but she just couldn't find it, even with the affection he had just shown her.

"Rinoa, we have to get outta here!" Irvine shouted and grabbed her arm, pulling her along with no real effort on her part. After one final glance between the two, their interlocked eyes were pulled from each other as Rinoa and Irvine disappeared beyond the corner of the wall.

Caraway closed his eyes for a moment, remembering his daughter as a child, as well as the woman that conceived her, and smiled as a particularly fond memory crossed his mind. _It was a day at the lake, watching Rinoa swim and laugh, with her mother holding her above the water as Rinoa kicked her feet, splashing water all over the woman supporting her. The exquisitely beautiful brunette woman and his three year old daughter giggled and both looked up at him with gleaming smiles that outshined the sun that was out so bright that day_…their happiness in that moment being the fondest memory he could recall, regardless of how short lived it turned out to be.

At this point though, it was merely about protecting the one source of that beautiful reverie that remained.

Caraway turned towards the door, cocked his handgun, and swiped his card, making the mechanized door before him open. He stepped through quickly as the cloud of gunsmoke, rock dust and explosive mist fogged his immediate view. As he raised his gun, he felt as a bullet tore through his upper thigh, and then his chest. He fell to his knees, grazed the wound with his fingers and looked at the blood. Within moments, he watched as seven or eight Galbadian Vipers surrounded him, their assault rifles locked directly on him with laser targeting. He looked down, seeing the bright red dots swirling around his chest like flies hovering over a dead deer.

Caraway laughed as he let the gun fall from his hand, and looked up to his former men.

"Semper Fi, mother fuckers," he muttered with a weakened laugh.

The mechanized door behind him slid shut, just before flurries of gunshots were unleashed.

* * *

Ehh...might have been out a few days earlier if not for a rodent that decided to die in my ceiling.

Anyway...

**Inside Look**

There honestly isnt ALOT to say about this chapter. It was more meant to set up the upcoming chapters.

However, this was a pretty fun chapter to write with all the changes made. I wanted there to be more emotion right after everything that happened. In the actual game, I just didnt feel it. Also, I havent read another novelization of this that handled this part very well either. Not to say mine is any better, but I think the changes were needed to create a new feeling of emotion I really wanted to show how it affected Rinoa, more than anything.

Also needed to extend on the relationship between Rinoa and her father. It's so one dimensional in the game.

There are a few homages in this chapter to various things. Brownie points if you can catch them!

**THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO IS REVIEWING AND STICKING WITH THE STORY. I LOVE THIS STORY AND I AM MOTIVATED TO FINISH IT, EVEN IF IT TAKES AWHILE. NOT SURE WHO WILL BE LEFT STANDING IN THE END, BUT I HOPE AT LEAST A FEW OF YOU ARE AROUND TO SEE THIS THROUGH TO THE END, JUST TO GET FEEDBACK FROM A FEW OF MY FAITHFUL READERS.**

Next chapter SHOULD be out in another 7-10 days...give or take a day or two.

_**Prodigy**_


End file.
